
Pans are metal containers that are round, broad, shallow, and open, and often have a long handle and a lid. They are used for a variety of purposes, including cooking, panning for gold, and as a lavatory pan or toilet bowl. The word pan has multiple meanings and origins, including Middle English, Old English, Latin, and Greek. In the context of sexuality, pan is used as a label by individuals who experience attraction to people of various genders. As a verb, pan can refer to the act of moving a camera to follow a moving object or person, or to beg strangers for money.
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What You'll Learn

Pans as a cooking utensil
A pan is a broad, shallow, and open metal container for domestic use, especially for cooking. They are usually round and often have a long handle and a lid. Pans have been used for cooking since ancient times, with evidence of frying pans being used in ancient Greece and Rome.
There are many different types of pans designed for specific cooking purposes. For example, a saute pan has a wide, flat bottom and high, vertical sides, maximising the cooking surface while preventing liquids from spilling over. Saucepans, on the other hand, have tall sides and narrow bases, heating liquids from all sides, making them ideal for sauces. Cast iron skillets are versatile and can be used for various cooking tasks, from searing meats to baking cakes.
Some pans are designed for specific cuisines, like the wok, which is used in Asian cooking. Woks have a deep bowl shape with steep, high walls, allowing food to be cooked quickly and thoroughly due to even heat distribution. Roasting pans are typically rectangular with flat bottoms and shallow sides, perfect for cooking large items like turkeys or chickens, as well as roasted vegetables.
Pans can also be specialised for baking. Baking pans come in different materials, sizes, and colours, all of which affect bake times and results. Cake pans, for example, have tall, straight sides and flat bottoms to help achieve the ideal texture and rise for cakes. Commercial muffin and cupcake pans are made from materials like aluminised steel, aluminium, cast iron, or silicone to withstand high-volume baking.
Additionally, some modern pans have non-stick coatings, such as Teflon, which was introduced in the 1950s. These coatings make cooking and cleaning easier but may be inappropriate for certain cooking techniques like deglazing. Pans can also be made from diamond particles bonded to a metal base, providing rapid and even heat distribution, scratch resistance, and non-stick qualities.
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Pans as a verb related to gold mining
Gold panning, or simply panning, is a traditional mining technique that extracts gold from a placer deposit using a pan. It is one of the simplest and oldest ways to extract gold, dating back to ancient Rome, and is popular with geology enthusiasts due to its low cost and simplicity.
Panning for gold involves using a pan to separate particles of greater specific gravity, such as gold, from soil or gravel by washing them in a pan with water. The process begins by filling the pan halfway with gravel, soil, and rocks from slower-moving water sources, such as downstream of boulders or the inner side of bends in a stream. The mixture is then thoroughly wetted and stirred, breaking up lumps of clay and removing large stones. The pan is then immersed in the water and given a combination of shaking and gyratory motions, allowing heavy particles like gold to settle at the bottom of the pan while lighter materials rise to the top.
The process of separating materials by density is called stratification. As the lighter materials are washed out of the pan, heavier materials like gold and black sand remain, ready for examination and collection. The remaining material can be dried, and gold can be removed, sometimes with the help of a magnet to separate it from magnetic black sand.
Gold pans come in various designs and sizes, typically ranging from 10 to 17 inches (25 to 43 cm) in diameter, with 14 inches being the most common size. They are manufactured from metal or high-impact plastic, with Russia iron or heavy gauge steel being traditional materials. Steel pans are stronger but heavier, while plastic pans resist rust and corrosion. The inner surface of the pan must be smooth and free from grease and rust to facilitate the separation of materials.
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Pans as a verb related to camera movement
In cinematography and photography, panning refers to the act of swivelling a still or video camera horizontally from a fixed position. This movement is akin to the natural motion of a person turning their head from left to right. The term is derived from "panorama", suggesting a view so expansive that it exceeds the gaze, forcing the viewer to turn their head to take it all in.
When panning, the camera operator typically follows a moving object, keeping it in the same position within the frame. This technique is used to achieve a panoramic effect, with the view "passing by" the spectator as new material appears on one side of the screen and exits from the other. It is a way of gradually revealing off-screen space and incorporating it into the image.
To aid in capturing panned images, photographers often use tripods or monopods, which make it easier to swing the camera along one plane while keeping it steady in the others. Panning requires a long exposure time to allow the background to blur as the camera moves, following the subject in the viewfinder.
In conclusion, "pans", as a verb, refers to the act of panning a camera, which involves pivoting or rotating the camera to follow a moving object or create a panoramic effect.
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Pans as a shortening of 'pansexual'
The term "pansexual" is derived from the prefix "pan-", which comes from the Ancient Greek "πᾶν" (pan), meaning "all, every". Pansexuality is defined as an attraction to people of any gender or to people regardless of their gender. This means that gender is not a defining factor in the romantic or sexual attraction a pansexual person feels towards others.
Pansexuality is sometimes considered a sexual orientation in its own right, while others view it as a branch of bisexuality. The key difference between bisexuality and pansexuality is that bisexuality can be defined as an attraction to multiple genders, whereas pansexuality explicitly includes people who are intersex or outside the gender binary. Some people may use the terms bisexual and pansexual interchangeably, while others may prefer to use one term exclusively to describe themselves.
It is important to note that the journey of discovering one's sexual identity is ever-evolving and may take time. Some individuals may identify as bisexual before later identifying as pansexual, or they may feel that both terms accurately describe their experience of attraction. Ultimately, the best identity term is the one that feels most comfortable and accurate to the individual.
Pansexuality has become more commonly discussed, but there is still some confusion and misunderstanding surrounding it. This can lead to feelings of invalidation among pansexual individuals. It is important to respect and support pansexual people and their right to love and be themselves without pressure or judgment.
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Pans as a nickname
"Pan" is a nickname for someone who identifies as pansexual. Pansexuality is defined as experiencing attraction to people of various genders. It is an umbrella term for people who are attracted to individuals in a way that defies society's binaries.
Pansexuality is often confused with bisexuality, and some people who identify as pan choose to describe themselves as bi when talking to others. However, the key difference is that bisexuality refers to the attraction towards two or more genders, whereas pansexuality goes beyond the binary and includes all genders.
Pansexuality is represented by a pride flag with pink, yellow, and cyan colours. The pink represents attraction to women, the yellow represents attraction to non-binary people, and the cyan represents attraction to men.
It is important to note that the "pan" label may not fit everyone's experience, and some people may prefer other terms to describe their sexual orientation.
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Frequently asked questions
A pan is a broad, shallow, and open metal container for domestic use, often featuring a long handle and a lid.
Some common types of pans include frying pans, pie pans, and saucepans. Frying pans are used for cooking foods like eggs or meat, pie pans are used for baking pies or tarts, and saucepans are used for boiling or simmering foods like rice or vegetables.
Panning for gold is a technique used in gold mining where people use a pan to separate gold flakes or nuggets from sand and gravel in a river or stream.
In cinematography, to "pan" means to rotate or move a camera horizontally or vertically to follow a moving object or capture a panoramic view of a scene. This technique is often used to create a sense of movement or to showcase the surrounding environment.
Yes, the term "pan" can also be used in slang or specific contexts. For example, "pan" can refer to a toilet bowl or lavatory pan. In slang, it can mean to beg for money or make up stories to get money from strangers. Additionally, "Pan" is also the name of a Greek god, often depicted with goat-like features and associated with pastures and flocks.





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