span, noun1
/spæn/
- Forms:
- Formerly also spann.
- Plurals:
- spans, or (rarely) unchanged.
- Origin:
- DutchShow more Dutch, team, pair of draught animals, from spannen to unite, fasten.
1. A team of oxen or other draught animals, consisting of two or more yoked pairs; transferred sense (rare), the harness or other equipment for a span of draught animals (see quotation 1849).
1806 J. Barrow Trav. I. 3Such a carriage is commonly drawn by a team, or span as it is termed in the colony, of ten or twelve oxen.
1994 M. Roberts tr. of J.A. Wahlberg’s Trav. Jrnls 1838–56 55When the oxen arrive, Oosthuizen offers me his own span.
2. transferred sense. A team or work-gang of prisoners or reformatory inmates; any team, gang, or group.
1893 C.A. Goade in Cape Illust. Mag. May 313Let me explain that all the Convicts are divided into ‘spans’ of about 50 men each. Each span has a separate ward and is superintended by an overseer.
1980 A. Paton Towards Mountain 145Each boy paraded with his own span...Afrikaans was the language of the reformatory.
A team of oxen or other draught animals, consisting of two or more yoked pairs; transferred sense (rare), the harness or other equipment for a span of draught animals (see quotation 1849).
A team or work-gang of prisoners or reformatory inmates; any team, gang, or group.
a lot, very much.
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