verb (used without object)
- to disappear from sight, especially quickly; become invisible: The frost vanished when the sun came out.
- to go away, especially furtively or mysteriously; disappear by quick departure: The thief vanished in the night.
- to disappear by ceasing to exist; come to an end: The pain vanished after he took an aspirin.
- Mathematics. (of a number, quantity, or function) to become zero.
verb (used with object)
- to cause to disappear.
noun
- Phonetics. the last part of a vowel sound when it differs noticeably in quality from the main sound, as the faint (ē) at the end of the (ā) in the pronunciation of pain.
verb (intr)
- to disappear, esp suddenly or mysteriously
- to cease to exist; fade away
- maths to become zero
noun
- phonetics rare the second and weaker of the two vowels in a falling diphthong
c.1300, from shortened form of stem of Old French esvanir “disappear,” from Vulgar Latin *exvanire, from Latin evanescere “disappear, die out,” from ex- “out” (see ex-) + vanescere “vanish,” from vanus “empty” (see vain). Related: Vanished; vanishing. Vanishing point in perspective drawing is recorded from 1797.
see under into thin air.