Wane (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Waned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Waning.] [OE. wanien, AS. wanian, wonian, from wan, won, deficient, wanting; akin to D. wan-, G. wahnsinn, insanity, OHG. wan, wana-, lacking, wann to lessen, Icel. vanr lacking, Goth. vans; cf. Gr. bereaved, Skr. na wanting, inferior. . Cf. Want lack, and Wanton.]
1.
To be diminished; to decrease; -- contrasted with wax, and especially applied to the illuminated part of the moon.
Like the moon, aye wax ye and wane.
Waning moons their settled periods keep.
Addison.
2.
To decline; to fail; to sink.
You saw but sorrow in its waning form.
Dryden.
Land and trade ever will wax and wane together.
Sir J. Child.
© Webster 1913.
Wane, v. t.
To cause to decrease.
[Obs.]
B. Jonson.
© Webster 1913.
Wane, n.
1.
The decrease of the illuminated part of the moon to the eye of a spectator.
2.
Decline; failure; diminution; decrease; declension.
An age in which the church is in its wane.
South.
Though the year be on the wane.
Keble.
3.
An inequality in a board.
[Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
© Webster 1913.
Wane, n. (Forestry)
The natural curvature of a log or of the edge of a board sawed from a log.
© Webster 1913