I. ˈspan
archaic past of spin
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English spann; akin to Old High German spanna span, Middle Dutch spannen to stretch, hitch up
Date: before 12th century
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: 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
III. transitive verb
( spanned ; span·ning )
Date: 1560
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 span s a vector space
IV. noun
Etymology: Dutch, from Middle Dutch, from spannen to hitch up
Date: 1769
: a pair of animals (as mules) usually matched in appearance and action and driven together