noun

span

span, period, extent

The bridge has a very long span.

The bridge has a very long span.

He has a short attention span.

He has a short attention span.

((a span of sth.)) a period or extent of something. The project was completed in a short span of time.

Synonyms: period, duration, extent, range

From Old English 'spann', related to German 'spannen' (to stretch, to span).

Imagine stretching your hand out to measure a distance - the 'span' of your hand. This relates to both distance and time.

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