Wean \Wean\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Weaned; p. pr. & vb. n. Weaning.]

[OE. wenen, AS. wenian, wennan, to accustom; akin to D. wennen, G. gew["o]hnen, OHG. giwennan, Icel. venja, Sw. v["a]nja, Dan. v[ae]nne, Icel. vanr accustomed, wont; cf. AS. [=a]wenian to wean, G. entw["o]hnen. See Wont, a.]

1. To accustom and reconcile, as a child or other young animal, to a want or deprivation of mother's milk; to take from the breast or udder; to cause to cease to depend on the mother nourishment.

And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned. --Gen. xxi. 8.

2. Hence, to detach or alienate the affections of, from any object of desire; to reconcile to the want or loss of anything. ``Wean them from themselves.'' --Shak.

The troubles of age were intended . . . to wean us gradually from our fondness of life. --Swift.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)