(1)前衛(wèi)，先頭部隊(duì)(foremost or front division of a military or naval force)[U， the～][接 sing動(dòng)詞]：The～of an army is the group of soldiers in the front. 軍隊(duì)的前鋒就是前線的先頭部隊(duì)。Tanks were in the～of the army's advance. 坦克行駛在部隊(duì)的前面。positioned in the～被安排為先頭部隊(duì);〖同〗vanguard，head，scout;
(2)先鋒，前驅(qū)(forefront of any movement， course of progress)[U， the～]：in the～of scientific progress 處于科學(xué)進(jìn)步領(lǐng)先地位;(sb) be in the～of women's liberation(某人)是婦女解放運(yùn)動(dòng)的先驅(qū);〖同〗vanguard，head，scout;
【說明】van1是caravan的縮略形式，除表示卡車外，還可表示拖(掛)車，在英語中還可表示吉普賽大篷車和小型運(yùn)貨汽車;van2是vanguard的縮略形式。