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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

An \An\, conj. [Shortened fr. and, OE. an., and, sometimes and
if, in introducing conditional clauses, like Icel. enda if,
the same word as and. Prob. and was originally pleonastic
before the conditional clause.]
If; -- a word used by old English authors. --Shak.
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Nay, an thou dalliest, then I am thy foe. --B. Jonson.
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{An if}, and if; if.
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An \An\ ([a^]n). [AS. [=a]n one, the same word as the numeral.
See {One}, and cf. {A}.]
This word is properly an adjective, but is commonly called
the indefinite article. It is used before nouns of the
singular number only, and signifies one, or any, but somewhat
less emphatically. In such expressions as "twice an hour,"
"once an age," a shilling an ounce (see 2d {A}, 2), it has a
distributive force, and is equivalent to each, every.
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Note: An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound;
as, an enemy, an hour. It in also often used before h
sounded, when the accent of the word falls on the
second syllable; as, an historian, an hyena, an heroic
deed. Many writers use a before h in such positions.
Anciently an was used before consonants as well as
vowels.
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