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Spanner vs Spanger - What's the difference?

spanner | spanger |

As nouns the difference between spanner and spanger

is that spanner is a hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts while spanger is beggar, one who uses the phrase “spare change?”.

spanner

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (Australian, NZ, British, Irish) A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts.
    • Pass me that spanner , Jake; there's just one more nut to screw in.
  • (rare) One who, or that which, spans.
  • * 1915 , Florence Kiper Frank, The Jew to Jesus: and other poems
    • The scheme of the spanner of continents and the desire of the little husbandman hoarding for his loved ones...
  • (weaponry) A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
  • :* 1786 , Fig. 10. The spanner for spanning or winding up the spring of the wheel lock. — Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons , page xvi.
  • (obsolete) A device in early steam engines for moving the valves for the alternate admission and shutting off of the steam.
  • (UK) A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome (in the phrase spanner in the works )
    • Halfway through the production of Macbeth, the director found that the stage was smaller than he expected. This really threw a spanner in the works.
  • (British, Irish, mildly, derogatory) A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
    • You spanner , Rodney! I wanted a Chinese, not an Indian!

    Synonyms

    * (hand tool for nuts and bolts) wrench (US)

    Related terms

    * adjustable spanner * ring spanner * spanner barb * throw a spanner in the works

    Descendants

    * Malay: (l)

    Anagrams

    *

    spanger

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US, pejorative) beggar, one who uses the phrase “spare change?”
  • * 2007 , Pam Hogeweide, Spangers and Song on Hawthorne] :[http://godmessedmeup.blogspot.com/2007/11/spangers-and-song-on-hawthorne.html Spangers and Song on Hawthorne, by Pam Hogeweide, November 2007
  • *:I squatted down on the sidewalk to get eye level with the spanger (someone who asks passerbys for spare change).

    • Usage notes

    While sometimes used neutrally, more often used pejoratively, The Plague of Professional Panhandling], August 26, 2008, by Steven Malanga, The Dallas Morning News[http://www.newser.com/story/37926/panhandlers-more-often-pros-than-cons.html Panhandlers More Often Pros Than Cons: It's a full-time gig for some, and cities make little headway with efforts to stop begging], by Kate Schwartz, Newster, Sep 22, 2008[http://questionland.portlandmercury.com/questions/3494-what-can-we-do-about-spangers What can we do about spangers?], The Portland Mercury, [http://questionland.portlandmercury.com/ Questionland][http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2009/03/atl-giving-meters-program-off.html Atlanta ‘Giving Meters’ Program off to Slow Start, by Jay Black, WSB News, March 28, 2009 with connotations of professional begging.

    Related terms

    * spange * spanging

    References