see|Span
wikipedia|dab=span
English

Etymology 1
OE. spann

Pronunciation
RP and GenAm?
*IPA|/spæn/
*rhymes|æn
Australian English|AusE?
*IPA|/spæ�n/
*rhymes|æ�n

Noun
en-noun

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.

#* 2007. Zerzan, John. Silence.
#*: The unsilent present is a time of evaporating attention spans,

1. The spread or extent of an arch or between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between supports.
2. The length of a cable, wire, rope, chain between two consective supports.
3. nautical 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.
4. obsolete A pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action.
5. mathematics the space of all linear combinations of something

Translations
trans-top|the space from the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended
Finnish: vaaksa
trans-mid
Italian: spanna
Kurdish: KUchar|بست
trans-bottom

trans-top|hence, a small space or a brief portion of time
Finnish: aikaväli
trans-mid
Italian: periodo
Portuguese: t|pt|período
trans-bottom

trans-top|the spread or extent of an arch or between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between supports
Finnish: jänneväli
trans-mid
Italian: luce
trans-bottom

trans-top|the length of a cable, wire, rope, chain between two consective supports
Finnish: jänneväli
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|nautical: A rope having its ends made fast so that a purchase can be hooked to the bight
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|a pair of horses or other animals driven together
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|mathematics: the space of all linear combinations of something
trans-mid
trans-bottom

Related terms
attention span
memory span

Etymology 2
Old English spannan

Pronunciation
RP and GenAm?
*IPA|/spæn/
*rhymes|æn
Australian English|AusE?
*IPA|/spæ�n/
*rhymes|æ�n

Verb
en-verb|span|n|ing

1. To traverse the distance between.

#:The suspension bridge spanned the canyon as tenuously as one could imagine.

1. To cover or extend over an area or time period.

#:The parking lot spans 3 acres.
#:The novel spans three centuries.
#:Terry Fox fame spans globe.
#:World record! 5GHz WiFi? connection spans 189 miles. ¹

1. obsolete intransitive Two horses of the same color drawing a carriage, moving in perfect unison.
2. mathematics to generate an entire space by means of linear combinations

Translations
trans-top|to traverse the distance between
Finnish: kulkea
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|to cover or extend over an area or time period
trans-mid
Polish: obejmowa�, mie� zasi�g, rozci�ga� si�
trans-bottom

trans-top|two horses of the same color drawing a carriage, moving in perfect unison
trans-mid
trans-bottom

trans-top|mathematics: to generate an entire space by means of linear combinations
trans-mid
trans-bottom

Etymology 3
inflected form of|spin

Pronunciation
RP, Australian English|AusE? and GenAm?
*IPA|/spæn/
*rhymes|æn

Verb
span

1. archaic simple past of|spin

#: 1890: So they went in to where Gudruda sat spinning in the hall, singing as she span. — w:H. Rider Haggard|H. Rider Haggard, w:Eric Brighteyes|Eric Brighteyes ²

Anagrams
naps
pans
snap

Category:English irregular simple past forms
Category:Units of measure

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et:span
fa:span
fr:span
io:span
ru:span
fi:span
te:span
vi:span
vo:span
zh:span

• 2007-12-12 18:59 - Marcot - /* Noun */ Example

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