Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense spans, present participle spanning, past tense, past participle spanned
1. countable noun
A span is the period of time between two dates or events during which something exists, functions, or happens.
The batteries had a life span of six hours. [+ of]
Gradually the time span between sessions will increase.
Synonyms: period, term, duration, course More Synonyms of span
2. countable noun
Your concentration span or your attention span is the length of time you are able to concentrate on something or be interested in it.
His ability to absorb information was astonishing, but his concentration span wasshort.
Young children have a limited attention span.
3. verb [no passive]
If something spans a long period of time, it lasts throughout that period of time or relates to that whole period of time.
His professional career spanned 16 years. [VERB noun]
The film spans almost a quarter-century. [VERB noun]
Lining a corridor is a wall of photographs spanning his rugby days.
4. verb [no passive]
If something spans a range of things, all those things are included in it.
Bernstein's compositions spanned all aspects of music, from symphonies to musicals. [VERB noun]
...a remarkable man whose interests spanned almost every aspect of nature. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: extend over, cover, encompass, last More Synonyms of span
5. countable noun
The span of something that extends or is spread out sideways is the total width of it from one end to the other.
It is a very pretty butterfly, with a 2 inch wing span.
The hip joint is a hand span below the waist.
6. verb
A bridge or other structure that spans something such as a river or a valley stretches right across it.
Travellers cross a footbridge that spans a little stream. [VERB noun]
...the humped iron bridge spanning the railway. [VERB noun]
Floors can span 100 metres without any visible means of support. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: extend across, cross, bridge, cover More Synonyms of span
7. See also spick and span
More Synonyms of span
span in British English1
(spæn)
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. psychology
the amount of material that can be processed in a single mental act
apprehension span
span of attention
4. short for wingspan
5.
a unit of length based on the width of an expanded hand, usually taken as nine inches
verbWord forms: spans, spanning or spanned(transitive)
6.
to stretch or extend across, over, or around
7.
to provide with something that extends across or around
to span a river with a bridge
8.
to measure or cover, esp with the extended hand
Word origin
Old English spann; related to Old Norse sponn, Old High German spanna
span in British English2
(spæn)
noun
a team of horses or oxen, esp two matched animals
Word origin
C16 (in the sense: yoke): from Middle Dutch: something stretched, from spannen to stretch; see span1
span in British English3
(spæn)
verb
archaic or dialect a past tense of spin
Span. in British English
abbreviation for
Spanish
Spanish in British English
(ˈspænɪʃ)
noun
1.
the official language of Spain, Mexico, and most countries of South and Central America except Brazil: also spoken in Africa, the Far East, and elsewhere. It is the native language of approximately 405 million people throughout the world. Spanish is an Indo-European language belonging to the Romance group
2. the Spanish
adjective
3.
of or relating to the Spanish language or its speakers
4.
of or relating to Spain or Spaniards
Span in American English
1.
Spaniard
2.
Spanish
span in American English1
(spæn)
noun
1.
a unit of linear measure equal to nine inches, based on the distance between the tips of the extended thumb and little finger
2.
a.
the full amount or extent between any two limits
b.
the distance between ends or supports
the span of an arch
c.
the full duration (of)
span of attention, the span of a person's life
3.
a part between two supports
a bridge of four spans
4.
wingspan
5. US
a team of two animals used together
verb transitiveWord forms: spanned or ˈspanning
6.
to measure, esp. by the hand with the thumb and little finger extended
7.
to encircle with the hand or hands, in or as in measuring
8.
to extend, stretch, reach, or pass over or across
the bridge that spans the river
9.
to furnish with something that extends or stretches over
to span an aisle with an arch
SIMILAR WORDS: pair
Word origin
ME spanne < OE sponn, akin to Ger spanne < IE *(s)pen(d)-, to pull, draw (> spin, Gr span, to pull) < base *spe-, to pull, extend; (sense 5) borrowed in U.S. < Du span, in same sense
span in American English2
(spæn)
verb transitive, verb intransitive
Archaic
spin
More idioms containing
span
spick and span
Examples of 'span' in a sentence
span
Now a bridge spanning the legendary site will too.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His life in football spanned two eras.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It spanned the width of the church and took three people to straighten it out.
The Sun (2010)
This tribute album draws together songs spanning her entire career.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This is a man with a very short attention span.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
His long life spanned an incredible period in space exploration.
The Sun (2012)
What matters is the time span over which it is effective.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
They say it boosts concentration and attention span.
The Sun (2008)
Marines used portable aluminium bridges to span the irrigation channels.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This has a profound effect on attention spans.
The Sun (2012)
The world view as a historical matrix of meaning spans the life of the individual and the life of generations.
Greeley, Andrew M. Sociology and Religion: A Collection of Readings (1995)
Upstairs, a gallery spanning almost the length of the house is filled with books.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In real language, they tend to span a predictable length.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Some have a wing span of more than 7ft.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This medal is a fitting recognition of an astonishing research career spanning more than 40 years.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
My ministry requires me to span two worlds: the world of teaching pastors and the world of artists.
Christianity Today (2000)
Anyone who has the chutzpah to try to write a book that spans the last two billion years of our history needs a lot of help.
Wills, Christopher The Runaway Brain: the Evolution of Human Uniqueness (1993)
They often fly high across the sky in the last minutes of daylight, and have a wing span of almost two feet.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Whether it's sensible to increase lifespan is another matter - perhaps increasing health span might be a better goal.
The Sun (2009)
The Gothic building spans a narrow river on the grounds of a 19th-century manor and is a favourite spot for dog walkers.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
span
British English: span NOUN
A span is the period of time between two dates or events during which something exists, functions, or happens.
The batteries had a life span of six hours.
American English: span
Brazilian Portuguese: período
Chinese: > 时间段两时间点之间的
European Spanish: duración
French: durée
German: Spanne
Italian: periodo
Japanese: 期間
Korean: > 기간활동 등의
European Portuguese: período
Latin American Spanish: duración
British English: span VERB
If something spans a long period of time, it lasts throughout that period of time or relates to that whole period of time.
His professional career spanned 16 years.
American English: span
Brazilian Portuguese: estender-se
Chinese: > 持续两时间点之间的
European Spanish: abarcar
French: couvrir
German: überspannen
Italian: abbracciare
Japanese: 及ぶ
Korean: 기간에 걸치다
European Portuguese: estender-se
Latin American Spanish: abarcar
Chinese translation of 'span'
span
(spæn)
vt
[river, lake]横(橫)跨 (héngkuà)
[time]跨越 (kuàyuè)
n(c)
[of wings]翼展 (yìzhǎn)
[of arch]跨度 (kuàdù)
(in time) 一段时(時)间(間) (yī duàn shíjiān)
1 (noun)
Definition
the complete extent
The batteries had a life span of six hours.
Synonyms
period
a period of a few months
term
a 12-month term of service
duration
the duration of the trial
course
In the course of the 1930s, steel production in Britain approximately doubled.
stretch
He would study for eight- to ten-hour stretches.
spell
There has been a spell of dry weather.
2 (noun)
Definition
the complete extent
The bridge has a span of 579 feet.
Synonyms
extent
an estate about seven or eight acres in extent
reach
Luckily, the phone was in easy reach.
spread
The rhododendron grows to 18 inches with a spread of 24 inches.
length
It is about a metre in length.
distance
They measured the distance between the island and the shore.
stretch
It's a very dangerous stretch of road.
1 (verb)
Definition
to stretch or extend across, over, or around
a man whose interests spanned almost every aspect of natureHis professional career spanned 16 years.
Synonyms
extend over
cover
The law covers four categories of experiments.
encompass
His repertoire encompassed everything from Bach to Scott Joplin.
last
comprise
The exhibition comprises 50 oils and watercolours.
spread over
stretch across
range over
2 (verb)
Definition
to stretch or extend across, over, or around
the humped iron bridge spanning the railway
Synonyms
extend across
cross
A bridge crosses the river about half a mile outside the village.
bridge
a tree used to bridge the river
cover
It would not be easy to cover ten miles on that amount of petrol.
link
vault
traverse
I traversed the narrow pedestrian bridge.
range over
arch across
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bridge
Definition
to build or provide a bridge over (something)
a tree used to bridge the river
Synonyms
span,
cross,
go over,
cross over,
traverse,
reach across,
extend across,
arch over
in the sense of comprise
Definition
to be made up of
The exhibition comprises 50 oils and watercolours.
Synonyms
be composed of,
include,
contain,
consist of,
take in,
embrace,
encompass,
comprehend
in the sense of course
Definition
a period of time
In the course of the 1930s, steel production in Britain approximately doubled.
Synonyms
period,
time,
duration,
term,
passing,
sweep,
passage,
lapse
Synonyms of 'span'
span
Explore 'span' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of cover
Definition
to include or deal with
The law covers four categories of experiments.
Synonyms
deal with,
refer to,
provide for,
take account of,
include,
involve,
contain,
embrace,
incorporate,
comprise,
embody,
encompass,
comprehend
in the sense of cover
Definition
to travel over
It would not be easy to cover ten miles on that amount of petrol.
Synonyms
travel over,
cross,
traverse,
pass through or over,
range
in the sense of cross
Definition
to move or go across (something)
A bridge crosses the river about half a mile outside the village.
Synonyms
span,
bridge,
ford,
go across,
extend over
in the sense of distance
Definition
the space between two points or places
They measured the distance between the island and the shore.
Synonyms
space,
length,
extent,
range,
stretch,
gap,
interval,
separation,
span,
width
in the sense of duration
Definition
the length of time that something lasts
the duration of the trial
Synonyms
length,
time,
period,
term,
stretch,
extent,
spell,
span,
time frame,
timeline
in the sense of encompass
Definition
to include all of
His repertoire encompassed everything from Bach to Scott Joplin.
Synonyms
include,
hold,
involve,
cover,
admit,
deal with,
contain,
take in,
embrace,
incorporate,
comprise,
embody,
comprehend,
subsume
in the sense of length
Definition
the extent or measurement of something from end to end
It is about a metre in length.
Synonyms
distance,
reach,
measure,
extent,
span,
longitude
in the sense of reach
Definition
the extent or distance of reaching
Luckily, the phone was in easy reach.
Synonyms
grasp,
range,
distance,
stretch,
sweep,
capacity,
extent,
extension,
scope
in the sense of spell
Definition
a period of time of weather or activity
There has been a spell of dry weather.
Synonyms
period,
time,
term,
stretch,
turn,
course,
season,
patch,
interval,
bout,
stint
in the sense of spread
Definition
the wingspan of an aircraft or bird
The rhododendron grows to 18 inches with a spread of 24 inches.