SPAN (spanned, spanning)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: spanned    , spanning   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does span mean? 

• SPAN (noun)
  The noun SPAN has 6 senses:

1. the complete duration of something

2. the distance or interval between two points

3. two items of the same kind

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.

6. the act of sitting or standing astride

  Familiarity information: SPAN used as a noun is common.

• SPAN (verb)
  The verb SPAN has 1 sense:

1. to cover or extend over an area or time period

  Familiarity information: SPAN used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPAN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The complete duration of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Context example:

the job was finished in the span of an hour

Hypernyms ("span" is a kind of...):

continuance; duration (the period of time during which something continues)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "span"):

attention span (the length of time you can concentrate on some idea or activity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The distance or interval between two points

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("span" is a kind of...):

distance (the property created by the space between two objects or points)

Derivation:

span (to cover or extend over an area or time period)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Two items of the same kind

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

brace; couple; couplet; distich; duad; duet; duo; dyad; pair; span; twain; twosome; yoke

Hypernyms ("span" is a kind of...):

2; deuce; II; two (the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number)

Meronyms (parts of "span"):

fellow; mate (one of a pair)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "span"):

doubleton ((bridge) a pair of playing cards that are the only cards in their suit in the hand dealt to a player)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A unit of length based on the width of the expanded human hand (usually taken as 9 inches)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Hypernyms ("span" is a kind of...):

linear measure; linear unit (a unit of measurement of length)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

bridge; span

Hypernyms ("span" is a kind of...):

construction; structure (a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts)

Meronyms (parts of "span"):

pier (a support for two adjacent bridge spans)

trestle (a supporting tower used to support a bridge)

arch ((architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "span"):

cantilever bridge (bridge constructed of two cantilevers that meet in the middle)

viaduct (bridge consisting of a series of arches supported by piers used to carry a road (or railroad) over a valley)

truss bridge (a bridge supported by trusses)

trestle bridge (a bridge supported by trestlework)

toll bridge (a bridge where toll is charged for crossing)

suspension bridge (a bridge that has a roadway supported by cables that are anchored at both ends)

steel arch bridge (a steel bridge constructed in the form of an arch)

rope bridge (a bridge consisting of ropes)

bateau bridge; floating bridge; pontoon bridge (a temporary bridge built over a series of pontoons)

flyover; overpass (bridge formed by the upper level of a crossing of two highways at different levels)

footbridge; overcrossing; pedestrian bridge (a bridge designed for pedestrians)

drawbridge; lift bridge (a bridge that can be raised to block passage or to allow boats or ships to pass beneath it)

covered bridge (a bridge whose passageway is protected by a roof and enclosing sides)

cattle grid; cattle guard (a bridge over a ditch consisting of parallel metal bars that allow pedestrians and vehicles to pass, but not cattle)

Bailey bridge (a temporary bridge designed for rapid construction)

Holonyms ("span" is a part of...):

transit; transportation; transportation system (a facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The act of sitting or standing astride

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

span; straddle

Hypernyms ("span" is a kind of...):

motility; motion; move; movement (a change of position that does not entail a change of location)

Meronyms (parts of "span"):

put; put option (the option to sell a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date)

call; call option (the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date)

• SPAN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they span    ... he / she / it spans   
Past simple: spanned   
Past participle: spanned   
-ing form: spanning   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To cover or extend over an area or time period

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

cross; span; sweep; traverse

Context example:

The novel spans three centuries

Hypernyms (to "span" is one way to...):

continue; cover; extend (span an interval of distance, space or time)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

span (the distance or interval between two points)

 Context examples 

The date and time span when the planned event or activity actually began and ended.

(Actual Date Range, NCI Thesaurus)

The LOH11CR2A coding region is composed of 10 exons and spans 30 to 40 kb.

(BCSC-1, NCI Thesaurus)

The date and time span for when the biologic entity identifier is active.

(Biologic Entity Identifier Effective Date Range, NCI Thesaurus)

The CBA/Ca female mice have long life spans whilst males have short life spans.

(CBA/Ca Mouse, NCI Thesaurus)

The date and time span specifying when the protocol deviation began and ended.

(Performed Protocol Deviation Date Range, NCI Thesaurus)

NGC 6503 spans some 30,000 light-years, about a third of the size of the Milky Way.

(Lonely Galaxy Lost in Space, NASA)

KELT-9 is a blue A-type star, which shines brightly but, unlike some other stars such as our own Sun, their life span is on the order of millions rather than billions of years.

(Astronomers reveal discovery of the hottest gas giant exoplanet known yet, Wikinews)

The cool, dusty ring has an oval shape, with its long axis spanning about 35 light-years and its short axis about 25 light-years.

(Herschel sees budding stars and a giant, strange ring, NASA)

Nerve cells contain glutamate receptors that span the cell membrane.

(Structural states of a brain receptor revealed, NIH)

The date and time span used to indicate the start and end of the study for a subject.

(Performed Study Subject Milestone Study Reference Date Range, NCI Thesaurus)