span
1 of 4 ˈspan 
archaic past tense of spin
span
2 of 4noun (1)
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: such 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
span
3 of 4verb
spanned; spanning
transitive verb
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
span
4 of 4noun
: a pair of animals (such as mules) usually matched in appearance and action and driven together
Synonyms
Verb
- gauge
- gage
- measure
- scale
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb His career as a singer spanned three decades. Their empire once spanned several continents. Her academic interests span a wide variety of topics. A bridge spans the river.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English spann; akin to Old High German spanna span, Middle Dutch spannen to stretch, hitch up
Noun
Dutch, from Middle Dutch, from spannen to hitch up
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1560, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
1769, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing span
Kids Definition
span 1 of 2
noun
ˈspan
1
: a limited portion of time
span of life
I learned to ski in the span of one hour.
2
: the spread (as of an arch or bridge) from one support to another
3
: the width of something from one side to another
span
2 of 2verb
spanned; spanning
1
: to reach or extend across
A bridge spans the river.
2
: to continue over a period of time
The actor's career spanned five decades.
Medical Definition
span
noun
ˈspan
1
: an extent of distance or of time
especially : life span
2
: memory span
spanning
verb
as in measuring
to find out the size, extent, or amount of tried to span the distance between the two trees by eye alone Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- measuring
- gauging
- weighing
- scaling
- assessing
- estimating
- ascertaining
- evaluating
- gaging
- computing
- quantifying
- totaling
- determining
- calibrating
- totalling
- calculating
- calipering
- judging
- laying off
- quantitating
- summing
- appraising
- valuing
- discovering
- figuring
- adding up
- figuring out
- tallying
- guessing
- finding out
- working out
- ciphering
- conjecturing
- valuating
- marking (off)
- guesstimating
- reckoning
- doping (out)
- supposing