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Bay vs Span - What's the difference?

bay | span |

In obsolete terms the difference between bay and span

is that bay is a berry while span is a pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action.

In nautical terms the difference between bay and span

is that bay is each of the spaces, port and starboard, between decks, forward of the bitts, in sailing warships while span is 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.

As an adjective bay

is of a reddish-brown colour (especially of horses).

As a proper noun Bay

is a region of Somalia.

As an acronym SPAN is

suicide Prevention Advocacy Network.

bay

English

(wikipedia bay)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) baye, baie, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A berry.
  • , a shrub of the family Lauraceae , having dark green leaves and berries.
  • The leaves of this shrub, woven into a garland used to reward a champion or victor; hence, fame, victory.
  • * 1596 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , IV.i:
  • both you here with many a cursed oth, / Sweare she is yours, and stirre vp bloudie frayes, / To win a willow bough, whilest other weares the bayes .
  • The leaf of this or certain other species of shrub, used as a herb.
  • * Trumbull
  • The patriot's honours and the poet's bays .
  • (US, dialect) A tract covered with bay trees.
  • A kind of mahogany obtained from (Campeche) in Mexico.
  • Synonyms
    * bay laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel, sweet bay, true laurel
    Derived terms
    * bayberry * bay laurel * bay leaf * bay rum * bay rum tree * bay tree * red bay * sweet bay

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) baie, from baia.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (geography) A body of water (especially the sea) more or less three-quarters surrounded by land.
  • *
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage='Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.}}
  • A bank or dam to keep back water.
  • Synonyms
    * (body of water) gulf
    Derived terms
    * California bay

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) baie, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An opening in a wall, especially between two columns.
  • An internal recess; a compartment or area surrounded on three sides.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
  • , page=13 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) , title= Ideas coming down the track , passage=A “moving platform” scheme
  • The distance between two supports in a vault or building with a pitched roof.
  • (nautical) Each of the spaces, port and starboard, between decks, forward of the bitts, in sailing warships.
  • (rail transport) A bay platform.
  • Shortened form of bay window.
  • Derived terms
    * bay platform * bay window * bomb bay * buggy bay * loading bay

    Etymology 4

    From (etyl) bay, combined with aphesized form of abay; verbal form (etyl) baier, abaier.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The excited howling of dogs when hunting or being attacked.
  • (by extension) The climactic confrontation between hunting-dogs and their prey.
  • (figuratively) A state of being obliged to face an antagonist or a difficulty, when escape has become impossible.
  • * (rfdate) (Dryden)
  • Embolden'd by despair, he stood at bay .
  • * (rfdate) I. Taylor
  • The most terrible evils are just kept at bay by incessant efforts.
    Derived terms
    * at bay

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To howl.
  • * (rfdate) (Dryden)
  • The hounds at nearer distance hoarsely bayed .
  • To bark at; hence, to follow with barking; to bring or drive to bay.
  • to bay the bear
    (Shakespeare)
  • To pursue noisily, like a pack of hounds.
  • Derived terms
    * bay at the moon

    Etymology 5

    From (etyl) baie, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Of a reddish-brown colour (especially of horses).
  • Derived terms
    * bay cat * bay lynx

    Noun

    (-)
  • A brown colour/color of the coat of some horses.
  • A horse of this color.
  • See also

    * abeyance * badinage * baize * daphne * voe * * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    span

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) spann

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The space from the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended; nine inches; eighth of a fathom.
  • Hence, a small space or a brief portion of time.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • Yet not to earth's contracted span / Thy goodness let me bound.
  • * Farquhar
  • Life's but a span ; I'll every inch enjoy.
  • * 2007 . Zerzan, John. Silence .
  • The unsilent present is a time of evaporating attention spans ,
  • The spread or extent of an arch or between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between supports.
  • The length of a cable, wire, rope, chain between two consecutive supports.
  • (nautical) 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.
  • (obsolete) A pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action.
  • (mathematics) the space of all linear combinations of something
  • Etymology 2

    Old English spannan

    Verb

    (spann)
  • To traverse the distance between.
  • The suspension bridge spanned the canyon as tenuously as one could imagine.
  • To cover or extend over an area or time period.
  • The parking lot spans three acres.
    The novel spans three centuries.
    World record! 5 GHz WiFi connection spans 189 miles. [http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/27/world-record-5ghz-wifi-connection-spans-189-miles/]
  • * Prescott
  • The rivers were spanned by arches of solid masonry.
  • To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object.
  • to span''' a space or distance; to '''span a cylinder
  • * Bible, Isa. xiviii. 13
  • My right hand hath spanned the heavens.
  • (mathematics) to generate an entire space by means of linear combinations
  • (intransitive, US, dated) To be matched, as horses.
  • To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.
  • Etymology 3

    Verb

    (head)
  • (archaic, nonstandard) (spin)
  • *
  • * '>citation
  • *:a giant pick-up truck span out of control during a stunt show in a Dutch town, killing three people