DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Span v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spanned p. pr. & vb. n. 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. --Isa. xiviii. 13.
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. --prescott.
3. To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.
span
n 1: the complete duration of something; "the job was finished in
the span of an hour"
2: the distance or interval between two points
3: two items of the same kind [syn: couple, pair, twosome,
twain, brace, yoke, couplet, distich, duo, duet,
dyad, duad]
4: a unit of length based on the width of the expanded human
hand (usually taken as 9 inches)
5: a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an
obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc. [syn: bridge]
6: the act of sitting or standing astride [syn: straddle]
v : to cover or extend over an area or time period; "Rivers
traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3
acres"; "The novel spans three centuries" [syn: cross,
traverse, sweep]
[also: spanning, spanned]