From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Span \Span\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Spanned}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Spanning}.] [AS. pannan; akin to D. & G. spannen, OHG. spannan, Sw. sp["a]nna, Dan. sp[ae]nde, Icel. spenna, and perh. to Gr. ? to draw, to drag, L. spatium space. [root]170. Cf. {Spin}, verb (used with an object), {Space}, {Spasm}.]
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.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
span
noun
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}]
verb
1: 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}]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
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