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Span vs Girth - What's the difference?

span | girth |

As nouns the difference between span and girth

is that span is the space from the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended; nine inches; eighth of a fathom while girth is the distance measured around an object.

As verbs the difference between span and girth

is that span is to traverse the distance between while girth is to bind as if with a girth or band.

As an acronym SPAN

is suicide Prevention Advocacy Network.

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
    • Related terms
    * attention span * memory span

    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

    • Anagrams

    * English irregular simple past forms ----

    girth

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The distance measured around an object.
  • A band passed under the belly of an animal to hold various types of saddles in place.
  • * '>citation
  • The part of an animal around which the girth fits.
  • (informal) One's waistline circumference, most often a large one.
  • * Addison
    • He's a lusty, jolly fellow, that lives well, at least three yards in the girth .
  • A small horizontal brace or girder.

    • Synonyms

    * circumference * cinch

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bind as if with a girth or band.
    • (Johnson)

    Anagrams

    * (l), (l)