wean
To cease giving breast milk to an offspringTo cease giving breast milk to an offspring; to accustom and reconcile (a child or young animal) to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder.
» Her mother tried to wean him.
Meaning
6 senses(transitive)To cease giving breast milk to an offspring; to accustom and reconcile (a child or young animal) to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder.
The cow has weaned her calf.
gradually deprive (infants and young mammals) of mother's milk
To cease giving breast milk to an offspring; to accustom and reconcile (a child or young animal) to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder.
(broadly, often, transitive)To habituate (someone) to something, especially since childhood.
His generation was weaned on 1980's music.
(intransitive)To cease to depend on the mother's milk for nutrition.
The kittens are finally weaning.
отуча́ть от груди́otučátʹ ot grudí, отучи́ть от груди́otučítʹ ot grudí, отуча́тьotučátʹ
(broadly, transitive)To cause to quit something to which one is addicted, dependent, or habituated.
He managed to wean himself off heroin.
(broadly, intransitive)To cease to depend.
She is weaning from her addiction to tobacco.
entwöhnen
отвыка́ть от груди́breastfeeding, отвы́кнуть от груди́otvýknutʹ ot grudí, отвыка́тьotvykátʹ
(broadly, obsolete, transitive)To raise, to help grow toward maturity
Examples
39 sentencesHer mother tried to wean him.
When does a lamb wean itself?
Are the lambs ready for weaning?
When does the weaning process start?
Ziri wants to wean the lambs.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 3
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English wenen, from Old English wenian (“to accustom; habituate; train; preparFrom Middle English wenen, from Old English wenian (“to accustom; habituate; train; prepare; make fit”), from Proto-West Germanic *wannjan, from Proto-Germanic *wanjaną (“to make wont; accustom”), from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to strive for; wish; love”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
weans, weaning, weaned, weanedSynonyms
1 synonyms- gradually deprive (infants and young mammals) of mother's milk:ablactate
Word family
1 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle