Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Span \Span\, archaic
   imp. & p. p. of {Spin}.

Span \Span\, n. [AS. spann; akin to D. span, OHG. spanna, G.
   spanne, Icel. sp["o]nn. [root]170. See {Span}, v. t. ]
   1. The space from the thumb to the end of the little finger
      when extended; nine inches; eighth of a fathom.

   2. Hence, a small space or a brief portion of time.

            Yet not to earth's contracted span Thy goodness let
            me bound.                             --Pope.

            Life's but a span; I'll every inch enjoy.
                                                  --Farquhar.

   3. The spread or extent of an arch between its abutments, or
      of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like,
      between its supports.

   4. (Naut.) A rope having its ends made fast so that a
      purchase can be hooked to the bight; also, a rope made
      fast in the center so that both ends can be used.

   5. [Cf. D. span, Sw. spann, Dan. sp[ae]nd, G. gespann. See
      {Span}, v. t. ] A pair of horses or other animals driven
      together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in
      color, form, and action.

   {Span blocks} (Naut.), blocks at the topmast and
      topgallant-mast heads, for the studding-sail halyards.

   {Span counter}, an old English child's game, in which one
      throws a counter on the ground, and another tries to hit
      it with his counter, or to get his counter so near it that
      he can span the space between them, and touch both the
      counters. --Halliwell. ``Henry V., in whose time boys went
      to span counter for French crowns.'' --Shak.

   {Span iron} (Naut.), a special kind of harpoon, usually
      secured just below the gunwale of a whaleboat.

   {Span roof}, a common roof, having two slopes and one ridge,
      with eaves on both sides. --Gwilt.

   {Span shackle} (Naut.), a large bolt driven through the
      forecastle deck, with a triangular shackle in the head to
      receive the heel of the old-fashioned fish davit. --Ham.
      Nav. Encyc.

Span \Span\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spanned}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Spanning}.] [AS. pannan; akin to D. & G. spannen, OHG.
   spannan, Sw. sp["a]nna, Dan. sp[ae]nde, Icel. spenna, and
   perh. to Gr. ? to draw, to drag, L. spatium space. [root]170.
   Cf. {Spin}, v. t., {Space}, {Spasm}.]
   1. To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers
      extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object; as,
      to span a space or distance; to span a cylinder.

            My right hand hath spanned the heavens. --Isa.
                                                  xiviii. 13.

   2. To reach from one side of to the order; to stretch over as
      an arch.

            The rivers were spanned by arches of solid masonry.
                                                  --prescott.

   3. To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.

Span \Span\, v. i.
   To be matched, as horses. [U. S.]

Spin \Spin\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Spun}(Archaic imp. {Span}); p.
   pr. & vb. n. {Spinning}.] [AS. spinnan; akin to D. & G.
   spinnen, Icel. & Sw. spinna, Dan. spinde, Goth. spinnan, and
   probably to E. span. [root]170. Cf. {Span}, v. t., {Spider}.]
   1. To draw out, and twist into threads, either by the hand or
      machinery; as, to spin wool, cotton, or flax; to spin
      goat's hair; to produce by drawing out and twisting a
      fibrous material.

            All the yarn she [Penelope] spun in Ulysses' absence
            did but fill Ithaca full of moths.    --Shak.

   2. To draw out tediously; to form by a slow process, or by
      degrees; to extend to a great length; -- with out; as, to
      spin out large volumes on a subject.

            Do you mean that story is tediously spun out?
                                                  --Sheridan.

   3. To protract; to spend by delays; as, to spin out the day
      in idleness.

            By one delay after another they spin out their whole
            lives.                                --L'Estrange.

   4. To cause to turn round rapidly; to whirl; to twirl; as, to
      spin a top.

   5. To form (a web, a cocoon, silk, or the like) from threads
      produced by the extrusion of a viscid, transparent liquid,
      which hardens on coming into contact with the air; -- said
      of the spider, the silkworm, etc.

   6. (Mech.) To shape, as malleable sheet metal, into a hollow
      form, by bending or buckling it by pressing against it
      with a smooth hand tool or roller while the metal
      revolves, as in a lathe.

   {To spin a yarn} (Naut.), to tell a story, esp. a long or
      fabulous tale.

   {To spin hay} (Mil.), to twist it into ropes for convenient
      carriage on an expedition.

   {To spin street yarn}, to gad about gossiping. [Collog.]

Source : WordNet®

span
     n 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 [syn: {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. [syn: {bridge}]
     6: the act of sitting or standing astride [syn: {straddle}]
     [also: {spanning}, {spanned}]

span
     v : to cover or extend over an area or time period; "Rivers
         traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3
         acres"; "The novel spans three centuries" [syn: {cross},
         {traverse}, {sweep}]
     [also: {spanning}, {spanned}]