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noun Span n. 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. "Yet not to earth's contracted span Thy goodness let me bound." "Life's but a span; I'll every inch enjoy." 3.The spread or extent of an arch between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between its supports. 4.(Naut.) 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. 5.A pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action. Span blocks (Naut.), blocks at the topmast and topgallant-mast heads, for the studding-sail halyards. Span counter, an old English child's game, in which one throws a counter on the ground, and another tries to hit it with his counter, or to get his counter so near it that he can span the space between them, and touch both the counters. "Henry V., in whose time boys went to span counter for French crowns." Span iron (Naut.), a special kind of harpoon, usually secured just below the gunwale of a whaleboat. Span roof, a common roof, having two slopes and one ridge, with eaves on both sides. Span shackle (Naut.), a large bolt driven through the forecastle deck, with a triangular shackle in the head to receive the heel of the old-fashioned fish davit.
verb Span v. t. (past & past part. spanned; pres. part. spanning) 1.To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object; as, to span a space or distance; to span a cylinder. "My right hand hath spanned the heavens." 2.To reach from one side of to the order; to stretch over as an arch. "The rivers were spanned by arches of solid masonry." 3.To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.
Spin v. t. (past span; past part. spun; pres. part. spinning) 1.To draw out, and twist into threads, either by the hand or machinery; as, to spin wool, cotton, or flax; to spin goat's hair; to produce by drawing out and twisting a fibrous material. "All the yarn she (Penelope) spun in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths." 2.To draw out tediously; to form by a slow process, or by degrees; to extend to a great length; with out; as, to spin out large volumes on a subject. "Do you mean that story is tediously spun out?" 3.To protract; to spend by delays; as, to spin out the day in idleness. "By one delay after another they spin out their whole lives." 4.To cause to turn round rapidly; to whirl; to twirl; as, to spin a top. 5.To form (a web, a cocoon, silk, or the like) from threads produced by the extrusion of a viscid, transparent liquid, which hardens on coming into contact with the air; said of the spider, the silkworm, etc. 6.(Mech.) To shape, as malleable sheet metal, into a hollow form, by bending or buckling it by pressing against it with a smooth hand tool or roller while the metal revolves, as in a lathe. To spin a yarn (Naut.), to tell a story, esp. a long or fabulous tale. To spin hay (Mil.), to twist it into ropes for convenient carriage on an expedition. To spin street yarn, to gad about gossiping. (Collog.)
Span v. i. To be matched, as horses. (U. S.)
Spin v. i. (past span; past part. spun; pres. part. spinning) 1.To practice spinning; to work at drawing and twisting threads; to make yarn or thread from fiber; as, the woman knows how to spin; a machine or jenny spins with great exactness. "They neither know to spin, nor care to toll." 2.To move round rapidly; to whirl; to revolve, as a top or a spindle, about its axis. "Round about him spun the landscape, Sky and forest reeled together." "With a whirligig of jubilant mosquitoes spinning about each head." 3.To stream or issue in a thread or a small current or jet; as, blood spinsfrom a vein. 4.To move swifty; as, to spin along the road in a carriage, on a bicycle, etc. (Colloq.)
Span v. archaic Imp. & p. p. of Spin.
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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