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View synonyms for

span

1

[ span ]

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).
  3. a distance, amount, piece, etc., of this length or of some small extent:

    a span of lace.

  4. Civil Engineering, Architecture.
    1. the distance between two supports of a structure.
    2. the structure so supported.
    3. the distance or space between two supports of a bridge.
  5. the full extent, stretch, or reach of anything:

    a long span of memory.

  6. Aeronautics. the distance between the wing tips of an airplane.
  7. a limited space of time, as the term or period of living:

    Our span on earth is short.

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


verb (used with object)

spanned, spanning.
  1. to measure by the hand with the thumb and little finger extended.
  2. to encircle with the hand or hands, as the waist.
  3. to extend over or across (a section of land, a river, etc.).
  4. to provide with something that extends over:

    to span a river with a bridge.

  5. to extend or reach over (space or time):

    a memory that spans 90 years.

  6. Mathematics. to function (in a subspace of a vector space) as a span.
  7. Archery. to bend (the bow) in preparation for shooting.

span

2

[ span ]

noun

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

    Synonyms:

span

3

[ span ]

verb

Archaic.
  1. a simple past tense of spin.

Span.

4

abbreviation for

  1. Spaniard.
  2. Spanish.

Span.

1

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

span

2

/ æ /

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

  3. psychol the amount of material that can be processed in a single mental act

    span of attention

    apprehension span

  4. short for wingspan
  5. a unit of length based on the width of an expanded hand, usually taken as nine inches
“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

verb

  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

  3. to measure or cover, esp with the extended hand
“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

span

3

/ æ /

noun

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

span

4

/ æ /

verb

  1. archaic.
    a past tense of spin
“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
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of span1

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

Origin of span2

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

Origin of span1

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

Origin of span2

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

see spick and span .
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Synonym Study

See pair.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The industry is diverse, spanning apparel, metal products, electronics, processed food products and other goods.

From

They are proposing three major routes of pylons through the Welsh countryside in Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, each spanning several miles.

From

Ordaz has started four times over that span and scored three times.

From

Biden issued only 37 executive orders in his first 65 days, and Trump only 17 in the same span during his first term.

From

In the span of just eight months, so much had seemingly changed.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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

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