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1. To cover or extend over an area or time period
   "The parking lot spans 3 acres"; "The novel spans three centuries";
   - cross, traverse, sweep
    
2. (mathematics) generate an entire space by means of linear combinations
    
3. [archaic] (old) past tense of spin

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
   - 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.
   - bridge
    
6. The act of sitting or standing astride
   - straddle

Derived forms: spans, spanning, spanned

Type of: 2, construction, continuance, continue, cover, deuce, distance, duration, extend, II, linear measure, linear unit, motility, motion, move, movement, structure, two

Part of: transit, transportation, transportation system

Encyclopedia: Span, Brian