# span

/ˈspæn/ (US) · /spˈæn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/span
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to reach across space

verb · CEFR B2

to stretch across a distance from one side to the other.

For teachers: to extend across the distance between two points or supports; used transitively with a direct object.

- The new bridge will span the river, connecting the two small towns for the first time.
- The massive suspension bridge spans the Golden Gate strait, enduring extreme winds and tidal currents while facilitating thousands of daily commutes.

### 2. to reach across time

verb · CEFR B2

to last for a specific period of time.

For teachers: to extend through or cover a specific duration or historical period.

- Her career as a teacher spanned forty years and three different schools.
- The professor's research spans several decades, documenting the gradual shift in local dialects from the post-war era to the digital age.

### 3. length of time

noun · CEFR B2

the amount of time that something lasts.

For teachers: the full extent or duration of a period, especially regarding a human life or attention.

- The average life span of a domestic cat is about fifteen years.
- Modern digital interfaces are often criticised for reducing the average attention span of younger users who are accustomed to rapid content switching.

### 4. distance between supports

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the distance between two supports of a structure, like a bridge or a roof.

For teachers: the distance or extent between the abutments or supports of an arch, beam, or bridge.

- The central span of the bridge is the longest part of the structure.
- Engineers had to calculate the maximum load for the sixty-metre span to ensure the roof would not collapse under heavy snowfall.

### 5. width of wings

noun · CEFR B2

the distance from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other.

For teachers: the maximum extent across the wings of a bird or aircraft.

- The eagle has a very wide span, which helps it glide for long distances.
- The aircraft's impressive wing span allows for greater lift at lower speeds, though it complicates hangar storage at smaller regional airports.

### 6. hand measurement

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

the distance from the end of your thumb to the end of your little finger when your hand is open wide.

For teachers: an informal unit of linear measure based on the distance between the tips of the thumb and the little finger of an outstretched hand.

- In the old days, people used the span of their hand to measure small objects.
- The carpenter estimated the width of the timber using a span, a traditional method that predates the standardisation of the metric system.

### 7. linear combinations

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

in math, all the points you can reach by combining a set of directions.

For teachers: the set of all possible linear combinations of a given set of vectors.

- The teacher asked us to find the span of the two vectors on the graph.
- In linear algebra, determining whether a specific vector lies within the span of a given set is fundamental to solving systems of equations.

## Examples

- The bridge has a span of fifty meters.
- Most people have a short attention span when they are tired or bored.
- The architect designed the roof with a single impressive span to create an open, airy feeling in the main hall without the need for central pillars.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.