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Span vs Session - What's the difference?

span | session |

As an adjective span

is hairless, glabrous.

As a noun session is

a period devoted to a particular activity.

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 ----

    session

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A period devoted to a particular activity.
    • a training session
    "Are we having a recording session'''?" / "Yes. We've even got some '''session musicians to provide some brass."
  • *
  • A meeting of a council, court, or legislative body to conduct its business.
    • This court is now in session .
  • (computing) The sequence of interactions between client and server, or between user and system; the period during which a user is logged in or connected.
    • Logging out or shutting down the computer will end your session .
  • (cricket) Any of the three scheduled two hour playing sessions, from the start of play to lunch, from lunch to tea and from tea to the close of play.
  • (obsolete) The act of sitting, or the state of being seated.
  • * Hooker
    • So much his ascension into heaven and his session at the right hand of God do import.
  • * Tennyson
    • But Vivien, gathering somewhat of his mood, / Leaped from her session on his lap, and stood.

    Derived terms

    * bull session * session ale, session beer, session bitter * sessionless

    Anagrams

    * ----