span
/spæn/ noun C1- The full width of an open hand from the end of the thumb to the end of the little finger used as an informal unit of length.
- Any of various traditional units of length approximating this distance, especially the English handspan of 9 inches forming ⅛ fathom and equivalent to 22.86 cm.
- A small space or a brief portion of time. · He has a short attention span and gets bored within minutes.
- A portion of something by length; a subsequence.
- The spread or extent of an arch or between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between supports.
- The length of a cable, wire, rope, chain between two consecutive supports.
- 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.
- A pair of horses or other animals driven or sold together; usually, such a pair of horses usually being similar in color, form, and action.
Plural spans
From the library
So tall was he that his hat actually brushed the cross bar of the doorway, and his breadth seemed to span it across from side to side.
It represents national pride and a shared sporting history that spans over a century.
Within a remarkably short temporal span, a distinct and relatively uniform colonial accent had successfully crystallized among the native-born youth.
Other matches
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