span

1
[ span ]
See synonyms for span on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended.

  2. a unit of length corresponding to this distance, commonly taken as 9 inches (23 centimeters).

  1. a distance, amount, piece, etc., of this length or of some small extent: a span of lace.

  2. Civil Engineering, Architecture.

    • the distance between two supports of a structure.

    • the structure so supported.

    • the distance or space between two supports of a bridge.

  3. the full extent, stretch, or reach of anything: a long span of memory.

  4. Aeronautics. the distance between the wing tips of an airplane.

  5. a limited space of time, as the term or period of living: Our span on earth is short.

  6. Mathematics. the smallest subspace of a vector space that contains a given element or set of elements.

verb (used with object),spanned, span·ning.
  1. to measure by the hand with the thumb and little finger extended.

  2. to encircle with the hand or hands, as the waist.

  1. to extend over or across (a section of land, a river, etc.).

  2. to provide with something that extends over: to span a river with a bridge.

  3. to extend or reach over (space or time): a memory that spans 90 years.

  4. Mathematics. to function (in a subspace of a vector space) as a span.

  5. Archery. to bend (the bow) in preparation for shooting.

Origin of span

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun spanne, sponne, spayn, Old English span(n), spon(n); cognate with German Spanne, Dutch span, Old Norse spǫnn; the verb is derivative of the noun

Words Nearby span

Other definitions for span (2 of 4)

span2
[ span ]

noun
  1. a pair of horses or other animals harnessed and driven together.

Origin of span

2
An Americanism dating to 1760–70; from Dutch: “team (of oxen, horses)”

synonym study For span

See pair.

Other words for span

Other definitions for span (3 of 4)

span3
[ span ]

verbArchaic.
  1. a simple past tense of spin.

Other definitions for Span. (4 of 4)

Span.

abbreviation
  1. Spaniard.

  2. Spanish.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use span in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for span (1 of 4)

span1

/ (spæn) /


noun
  1. the interval, space, or distance between two points, such as the ends of a bridge or arch

  2. the complete duration or extent: the span of his life

  1. psychol the amount of material that can be processed in a single mental act: apprehension span; span of attention

  2. short for wingspan

  3. a unit of length based on the width of an expanded hand, usually taken as nine inches

verbspans, spanning or spanned (tr)
  1. to stretch or extend across, over, or around

  2. to provide with something that extends across or around: to span a river with a bridge

  1. to measure or cover, esp with the extended hand

Origin of span

1
Old English spann; related to Old Norse sponn, Old High German spanna

British Dictionary definitions for span (2 of 4)

span2

/ (spæn) /


noun
  1. a team of horses or oxen, esp two matched animals

Origin of span

2
C16 (in the sense: yoke): from Middle Dutch: something stretched, from spannen to stretch; see span 1

British Dictionary definitions for span (3 of 4)

span3

/ (spæn) /


verb
  1. archaic, or dialect a past tense of spin

British Dictionary definitions for Span. (4 of 4)

Span.

abbreviation for
  1. Spanish

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with span

span

see spick and span.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.