span

[ span ]

/ spæn /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR span ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

verb (used with object), spanned, span·ning.

to measure by the hand with the thumb and little finger extended.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Origin of span

before 900; (noun) Middle English spanne, sponne, spayn, Old English span(n), spon(n); cognate with German Spanne, Dutch span, Old Norse spǫnn; (v.) Middle English spaynen, derivative of the noun

Words nearby span

spalpeen, spam, spambot, spammie, spamming, span, span loading, span of apprehension, span of attention, span roof, span saw

Definition for spanning (2 of 2)

span ³

[ span ]

/ spæn /

verb Archaic.

a simple past tense of spin.

Example sentences from the Web for spanning

Spanning more than 150 years, the exhibit exhaustively distinguishes designer pieces from licensed copies, adaptations, and fakes.

The Big Business of Fashion Counterfeits |Lizzie Crocker |December 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
I found this book made me feel connected to a community of sufferers both real and fictional, spanning centuries.

Book Bag: Reading Your Way Out Of Grief |Anna Whiston-Donaldson |October 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The other seven dispensaries, spanning from coast to coast, are death traps for thousands of sea organisms each year.

New Report Reveals U.S. Fisheries Killing Thousands of Protected and Endangered Species |Abby Haglage |March 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Deeply ambitious and spanning multiple countries, Touch is an intriguing concept and definitely one to watch for midseason.

The 8 Best Pilot Scripts of 2011 |Jace Lacob |May 2, 2011 |DAILY BEAST

He confirmed that the studies he and his colleagues examined are now at least 19 years old, spanning from the late 1960s to 1992.

Beyond Scared Straight's Real-Life Controversy |Andy Dehnart |February 23, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
It was equivalent to spanning three bad fords with one bridge.

Life and Labors of Elder John Kline, the Martyr Missionary |John Kline
The view is closed by a range of red cliffs, with the magnificent iron bridge of Chepstow spanning the river.

The Wye and Its Associations |Leitch Ritchie
Suddenly a glorious rainbow shaped itself in the transparent mist over the Confederate camp, spanning it from end to end.

Four Years in Rebel Capitals |T. C. DeLeon
Spanning the pond near the dam, was a bridge of logs which they had neglected to destroy.

Three Years in the Sixth Corps |George T. Stevens
Overhead was an arch of brilliant light a hundred miles thick, spanning the whole of the visible heavens.

A Honeymoon in Space |George Griffith

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (1 of 3)

span ¹

/ (spæn) /

noun

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

the complete duration or extent the span of his life

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

short for wingspan

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

verb spans, spanning or spanned (tr)

to stretch or extend across, over, or around

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

to measure or cover, esp with the extended hand

Word Origin for span

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

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (2 of 3)

span ²

/ (spæn) /

noun

a team of horses or oxen, esp two matched animals

Word Origin for span

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

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (3 of 3)

span ³

/ (spæn) /

verb

archaic, or dialect a past tense of spin

Idioms and Phrases with spanning

span

see spick and span.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

span

noun

verb (used with object), spanned, span·ning.

Origin of span

Words nearby span

Definition for spanning (2 of 2)

verb Archaic.

Example sentences from the Web for spanning

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (1 of 3)

noun

verb spans, spanning or spanned (tr)

Word Origin for span

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for span

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (3 of 3)

verb

Idioms and Phrases with spanning

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

span

noun

verb (used with object), spanned, span·ning.

Origin of span

Words nearby span

Definition for spanning (2 of 2)

verb Archaic.

Words related to spanning

Example sentences from the Web for spanning

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (1 of 3)

noun

verb spans, spanning or spanned (tr)

Word Origin for span

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (2 of 3)

noun

Word Origin for span

British Dictionary definitions for spanning (3 of 3)

verb

Idioms and Phrases with spanning