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# shan

fragment (shan, from shan't); also Shan — a name

«shan» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A piece of the word «shan't», which means «shall not», as in «I shan't go». It is not a word by itself in English. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/#m1)
2. (a name) The Shan are a people of Myanmar (Burma) and nearby lands, with their own language; Shan State is in Myanmar. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/#m2)

### In the lessons

«Shan't» (shall + not) is mostly British and old-fashioned, used in old books like Alice in Wonderland and The Wind in the Willows: Alice says «I shan't be able!» as she grows tall. Today most people say «won't».

### Examples

- «I shan't!» shouted the cross little boy. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/#x1)
- «I shan't be able to reach the key,» said Alice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/#x2)
- We shan't be long — wait here. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/#x3)
- Shan't is short for shall not. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/#x4)
- The Shan people live in the hills of Myanmar. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/#x5)

### Note

Always written shan't with an apostrophe where the letters «ll no» are left out. «Shan» alone is just a fragment (or a name). Modern English: won't.

## In Jewish tradition

Only part of the place name Beth-shan, a city in the Jordan valley, where the Philistines hung the bodies of Saul and his sons.

**Interpretation.** Tradition honors the men of Jabesh-gilead, who rescued and buried Saul's body, as an example of loyalty and kindness to the dead.

### Examples

- And they put his armour in the house of the Ashtaroth; and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. (Prophets 1SA.31.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shan/#x1)
- all the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. (Prophets 1SA.31.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shan/#x2)

### Note

Always written shan't with an apostrophe where the letters «ll no» are left out. «Shan» alone is just a fragment (or a name). Modern English: won't.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «shan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/shan/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«shan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/shan.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «shan» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/shan/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«shan» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/shan.html) on Mova free.