span

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
span1

▶noun

• 1 the full extent of something from end to end; the amount of space covered.

  ■ a wingspan.

  ■ a part of a bridge between piers or supports.

• 2 the length of time for which something lasts.

• 3 (also handspan) the maximum distance between the tips of the thumb and little finger, taken as the basis of a measurement equal to 9 inches.

• 4 archaic a short distance or time.

▶verb (spans, spanning, spanned) extend across or over.

– origin OE, ‘distance between thumb and little finger’, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
span2

▶noun

• 1 Nautical a rope with its ends fastened at different points in order to provide a purchase.

• 2 a team of people or animals, especially a matched pair of horses or oxen.

▶verb S. African yoke (an animal).

– origin C16: from Du. or Low Ger. spannen.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
span3

▶adjective see spick and span.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
span4 chiefly archaic

past of spin.