Wean (Verb)
Meaning 1
Gradually deprive (infants and young mammals) of mother's milk; "she weaned her baby when he was 3 months old and started him on powdered milk"; "The kitten was weaned and fed by its owner with a bottle".
Classification
Verbs of eating and drinking.
Examples
- The doctor advised the mother to wean her baby off breast milk when she turned six months old.
- She had weaned her baby three months ago and was now trying to potty train him.
- It took the cat owner several weeks to wean the young kittens off their mother's milk.
- The mother carefully transitioned her infant from breast milk to formula by gradually weaning her off.
- The wildlife rehabilitation center carefully weaned the orphaned rabbits onto solid foods after a few weeks on a specialized milk substitute.
Synonyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
Detach the affections of.
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- She wanted to wean her daughter off the fantasy novels and introduce her to more realistic literature.
- He decided to wean the company off government grants and focus on private investment.
- The counselor tried to wean the children off their unhealthy attachment to their grandmother's overindulgence.
- She struggled to wean her patient off the sense of victimhood that had defined his life for years.
- The teacher aimed to wean her students off their reliance on calculators and develop their basic math skills.