To stretch or spread out; extend in continuity; give extent to.To stretch from side to side or from end to end of; extend over or across; continue through or over the extent of.To make a stretch or reach along, over, or around; measure or cover the span of; grasp; specifically, to measure or encompass with the hand, the little finger and thumb being extended as far as possible: as, to span a stream with a log or a bridge; to span a person's wrist.To cock by the use of a spanner, as a wheellock musket or pistol.Nautical, to confine with ropes: as, to span the booms.To shackle the legs of, as a horse; hobble.To measure off or mark distances from point to point; make distinct stretches in going, as a span-worm or measuring-worm does.To be matched for running in harness; form a span: as, the horses span well.n. The full extent or course over which anything is stretched or prolonged; the space or time covered or included between terminal points; entire reach from end to end or from side to side: as, the span of life; the span of a bridge.n. A part or division of something between terminal points: as, a bridge of ten spans.n. Extent of stretch, physical or mental; distance over which anything may be extended; reach or grasp, as of the memory or of perception.n. As a measure, originally, the extent between the tips of the thumb and little finger when stretched out: the oldest use of the word in English.n. Figuratively, any short space or period'; a brief or limited extent or course; a relatively small measure of continuity.n. The hand with the fingers outspread, as for measuring or for grasping a handful of something.n. Nautical, a rope fastened at both ends so that a purchase may be hooked to its bight; also, a double rope having thimbles attached between its two parts, used as a fair-leader for ropes.n. In the United States (from the original Dutch usage), a pair of horses or mules harnessed together; particularly, a pair of horses usually driven together, or matched for driving or work.n. In South Africa, two or more yokes of oxen or bullocks attached to a wagon or a plow.n. An archaic pretorit of spin.Wholly; entirely; freshly: as, my hands are span clean (sometimes spandy clean).To harness (a horse, etc.) to a vehicle; inspan; furnish (a vehicle) with animals to draw (it).n. In mathematics, the span of a region in any direction is the width of a strip which is bounded by lines perpendicular to that direction, contains every internal point of the region, and has on each of its bounding lines at least one boundary point of the region; and the upper limit of these spans of the region in every direction is called the span.