Adjacent Words

Span definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SPAN, n. [This word is formed on the root of bend, L. pando. The primary sense is to strain, stretch, extend, hence to join a team.]
1. The space from the end of the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended; nine inches; the eighth of a fathom.
2. A short space of time. Life's but a span; I'll every inch enjoy.
3. A span of horses, consists of two of nearly the same color, and otherwise nearly alike, which are usually harness side by side. The word signifies properly the same as yoke, when applied to horned cattle, from buckling or fastening together. But in America, span always implies resemblance in color at least; it being an object of ambition with gentlemen and with teamters to unite two horses abreast that are alike.
4. In seamen's language, a small line or cord, the middle of which is attached to a stay.
SPAN, v.t.
1. To measure by the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object; as, to span a space or distance; to span a cylinder.
2. To measure. This soul doth span the world.
SPAN, v.i. To agree in color, or in color and size; as, the horses span well. [New England.]
SPAN, pert. of spin. We now use spun.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the complete duration of something; "the job was finished in the span of an hour"
2: the distance or interval between two points
3: two items of the same kind [syn: couple, pair, twosome, twain, brace, span, yoke, couplet, distich, duo, duet, dyad, duad]
4: a unit of length based on the width of the expanded human hand (usually taken as 9 inches)
5: a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc. [syn: bridge, span]
6: the act of sitting or standing astride [syn: straddle, span] v
1: to cover or extend over an area or time period; "Rivers traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3 acres"; "The novel spans three centuries" [syn: cross, traverse, span, sweep]

Merriam Webster's

I. archaic past of spin II. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English spann; akin to Old High German spanna span, Middle Dutch spannen to stretch, hitch up Date: before 12th century 1. the distance from the end of the thumb to the end of the little finger of a spread hand; also an English unit of length equal to nine inches (22.9 centimeters) 2. an extent, stretch, reach, or spread between two limits: as a. a limited space (as of time); especially an individual's lifetime b. the spread or extent between abutments or supports (as of a bridge); also a portion thus supported c. the maximum distance laterally from tip to tip of an airplane III. transitive verb (spanned; spanning) Date: 1560 1. a. to measure by or as if by the hand with fingers and thumb extended b. measure 2. a. to extend across <a career that spanned four decades> b. to form an arch over <a small bridge spanned the pond> c. to place or construct a span over 3. to be capable of expressing any element of under given operations <a set of vectors that spans a vector space> IV. noun Etymology: Dutch, from Middle Dutch, from spannen to hitch up Date: 1769 a pair of animals (as mules) usually matched in appearance and action and driven together

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 the full extent from end to end in space or time (the span of a bridge; the whole span of history). 2 each arch or part of a bridge between piers or supports. 3 the maximum lateral extent of an aeroplane, its wing, a bird's wing, etc. 4 a the maximum distance between the tips of the thumb and little finger. b this as a measurement, equal to 9 inches. 5 a short distance or time (our life is but a span). --v. (spanned, spanning) 1 tr. a (of a bridge, arch, etc.) stretch from side to side of; extend across (the bridge spanned the river). b (of a builder etc.) bridge (a river etc.). 2 tr. extend across (space or a period of time etc.). 3 tr. measure or cover the extent of (a thing) with one's hand with the fingers stretched (spanned a tenth on the piano). 4 intr. US move in distinct stretches like the span-worm. Phrases and idioms: span roof a roof with two inclined sides (opp. PENTHOUSE 2, lean-to (see LEAN(1))). span-worm US the caterpillar of the geometer moth. Etymology: OE span(n) or OF espan 2. n. 1 Naut. a rope with both ends fastened to take purchase in a loop. 2 US a matched pair of horses, mules, etc. 3 S.Afr. a team of two or more pairs of oxen. Etymology: LG & Du. span f. spannen unite 3. see SPICK AND SPAN. 4. archaic past of SPIN.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Span Span, archaic imp. & p. p. of Spin.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Span Span, n. [AS. spann; akin to D. span, OHG. spanna, G. spanne, Icel. sp["o]nn. [root]170. See Span, v. t. ] 1. The space from the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended; nine inches; eighth of a fathom. 2. Hence, a small space or a brief portion of time. Yet not to earth's contracted span Thy goodness let me bound. --Pope. Life's but a span; I'll every inch enjoy. --Farquhar. 3. The spread or extent of an arch between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between its supports. 4. (Naut.) A rope having its ends made fast so that a purchase can be hooked to the bight; also, a rope made fast in the center so that both ends can be used. 5. [Cf. D. span, Sw. spann, Dan. sp[ae]nd, G. gespann. See Span, v. t. ] A pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action. Span blocks (Naut.), blocks at the topmast and topgallant-mast heads, for the studding-sail halyards. Span counter, an old English child's game, in which one throws a counter on the ground, and another tries to hit it with his counter, or to get his counter so near it that he can span the space between them, and touch both the counters. --Halliwell. ``Henry V., in whose time boys went to span counter for French crowns.'' --Shak. Span iron (Naut.), a special kind of harpoon, usually secured just below the gunwale of a whaleboat. Span roof, a common roof, having two slopes and one ridge, with eaves on both sides. --Gwilt. Span shackle (Naut.), a large bolt driven through the forecastle deck, with a triangular shackle in the head to receive the heel of the old-fashioned fish davit. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Span Span, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spanned; p. pr. & vb. n. Spanning.] [AS. pannan; akin to D. & G. spannen, OHG. spannan, Sw. sp["a]nna, Dan. sp[ae]nde, Icel. spenna, and perh. to Gr. ? to draw, to drag, L. spatium space. [root]170. Cf. Spin, v. t., Space, Spasm.] 1. To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object; as, to span a space or distance; to span a cylinder. My right hand hath spanned the heavens. --Isa. xiviii. 13. 2. To reach from one side of to the order; to stretch over as an arch. The rivers were spanned by arches of solid masonry. --prescott. 3. To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Span Span, v. i. To be matched, as horses. [U. S.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Spin Spin, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spun(Archaic imp. Span); p. pr. & vb. n. Spinning.] [AS. spinnan; akin to D. & G. spinnen, Icel. & Sw. spinna, Dan. spinde, Goth. spinnan, and probably to E. span. [root]170. Cf. Span, v. t., Spider.] 1. To draw out, and twist into threads, either by the hand or machinery; as, to spin wool, cotton, or flax; to spin goat's hair; to produce by drawing out and twisting a fibrous material. All the yarn she [Penelope] spun in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. --Shak. 2. To draw out tediously; to form by a slow process, or by degrees; to extend to a great length; -- with out; as, to spin out large volumes on a subject. Do you mean that story is tediously spun out? --Sheridan. 3. To protract; to spend by delays; as, to spin out the day in idleness. By one delay after another they spin out their whole lives. --L'Estrange. 4. To cause to turn round rapidly; to whirl; to twirl; as, to spin a top. 5. To form (a web, a cocoon, silk, or the like) from threads produced by the extrusion of a viscid, transparent liquid, which hardens on coming into contact with the air; -- said of the spider, the silkworm, etc. 6. (Mech.) To shape, as malleable sheet metal, into a hollow form, by bending or buckling it by pressing against it with a smooth hand tool or roller while the metal revolves, as in a lathe. To spin a yarn (Naut.), to tell a story, esp. a long or fabulous tale. To spin hay (Mil.), to twist it into ropes for convenient carriage on an expedition. To spin street yarn, to gad about gossiping. [Collog.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(spans, spanning, spanned) 1. A span is the period of time between two dates or events during which something exists, functions, or happens. The batteries had a life span of six hours... Gradually the time span between sessions will increase. N-COUNT: usu supp N 2. Your concentration span or your attention span is the length of time you are able to concentrate on something or be interested in it. His ability to absorb information was astonishing, but his concentration span was short... N-COUNT: usu supp N 3. If something spans a long period of time, it lasts throughout that period of time or relates to that whole period of time. His professional career spanned 16 years... The film, spanning almost a quarter-century, tells the story of Henry Hill... VERB: no passive, V n, V n 4. If something spans a range of things, all those things are included in it. Bernstein's compositions spanned all aspects of music, from symphonies to musicals. VERB: no passive, V n 5. The span of something that extends or is spread out sideways is the total width of it from one end to the other. It is a very pretty butterfly, with a 2 inch wing span... N-COUNT: usu with supp 6. A bridge or other structure that spans something such as a river or a valley stretches right across it. Travellers get from one side to the other by walking across a footbridge that spans a little stream. VERB: V n 7. see also spick and span

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(zereth; spithame): A measure of length equal to half a cubit or about 9 in. (Ex 28:16; 39:9; 1Sa 17:4, etc.). La 2:20 the King James Version is a mistranslation; see the Revised Version (British and American).

See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Nine inches, eighth of a fathom. 2. Brief period, spell. 3. Pair, team, yoke of animals. II. v. a. Compass, measure, cross, overlay.

Moby Thesaurus

Bifrost, a breath, accouple, accumulate, ace, aesthetic distance, agglutinate, amass, amplitude, appraise, appreciate, apse, arcade, arcature, arch, arch over, arched roof, archway, articulate, assay, assemble, assess, associate, band, bascule bridge, bateau bridge, beam, bestraddle, bestride, bit, bond, both, bowshot, brace, bracket, breadth, bridge, bridge over, brief span, broadness, calculate, calibrate, caliper, camber, cantilever bridge, carry, catwalk, ceilinged roof, cement, chain, check a parameter, clap together, clearance, close quarters, close range, collect, combine, compass, comprise, compute, concameration, concatenate, concha, conglobulate, conjoin, conjugate, connect, copulate, couple, couple up, couplet, course, cove, cover, crack, cross, cupola, day, deep space, depths of space, dial, distance, distance across, distich, divergence, divide, dome, double harness, double-harness, double-team, doublet, drawbridge, duad, duet, duo, duration, dyad, earreach, earshot, embrace, encompass, environ, equipage, estimate, evaluate, expanse, extend, extend over, extension, extent, farness, fateful moment, fathom, floating bridge, flyover, footbridge, four-in-hand, fullness, gangboard, gangplank, gangway, gather, gauge, geodesic dome, glue, go, go out, go over, graduate, gunshot, hair, hair space, hairbreadth, hairsbreadth, hang over, hold, hour, igloo, imbricate, inch, include, infinity, instant, interval, join, juncture, jut, kairos, keystone, knot, lap, lap over, latitude, lay together, league, leeway, length, lengthiness, lie, lie over, lift bridge, light-years, linear measures, link, little, little bit, little ways, little while, long time, longitude, longness, lump together, margin, marry, marshal, mass, match, mate, mates, measure, mensurate, merge, mete, meter, mileage, minute, mobilize, moment, moment of truth, no time, ogive, overall length, overarch, overbridge, overcrossing, overhang, overlap, overlie, overpass, override, pace, pair, pair of winks, pair off, parsecs, period, perpetuity, perspective, piece, piece together, pistol shot, plumb, point, pontoon bridge, pregnant moment, prize, probe, psychological moment, put together, quantify, quantize, randem, range, rate, reach, reach out, remoteness, rig, roll into one, rope bridge, run, season, separation, set of two, shingle, short distance, short piece, short spell, short time, short way, size, size up, skewback, small space, solder, sound, space, spell, spike, spike team, spitting distance, splice, spread, spurt, stage, step, stepping-stone, stepstone, stick together, straddle, stretch, stretch out, stride, surround, survey, suspension bridge, sweep, swing bridge, take a reading, take in, tandem, tape, team, team up, term, the two, three-up, thrust out, tie, time, time lag, toll bridge, triangulate, turnout, twain, two, two shakes, twosome, unicorn, unify, unite, valuate, value, vault, vaulting, viaduct, voussoir, way, ways, weigh, weld, while, wideness, width, yardage, yoke