Spaz vs Span - What's the difference?
spaz | span |
(slang, pejorative, offensive) A stupid person.
(slang, pejorative, offensive) A hyperactive person.
(slang, pejorative, offensive) An incompetent person.
* (Tiger Woods), 2006
(slang, pejorative, offensive) A tantrum, a fit.
(slang, pejorative, offensive) To have a tantrum or fit.
(slang, offensive) To malfunction, go on the fritz.
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
* Farquhar
* 2007 . Zerzan, John. Silence .
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
To traverse the distance between.
To cover or extend over an area or time period.
* Prescott
To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object.
* Bible, Isa. xiviii. 13
(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.
(archaic, nonstandard) (spin)
*
* '>citation
*:a giant pick-up truck span out of control during a stunt show in a Dutch town, killing three people
As a noun spaz
is (slang|pejorative|offensive) a stupid person.As a verb spaz
is (slang|pejorative|offensive) to have a tantrum or fit.As an adjective span is
hairless, glabrous.spaz
English
Alternative forms
* spazzNoun
(spazzes)- “I was so in control from tee to green, the best I’ve played for years… But as soon as I got on the green I was a spaz .”
Usage notes
(Spastic) In addition to being insulting to the target, the term itself is offensive to some due to associations with disability (especially cerebral palsy in the UK); compare (retard), (tard). Offensiveness differs between the UK and the US: it is quite offensive in the UK, while completely inoffensive in the US, acting as a synonym for silly/hyper. It is most widely used as a playground term of abuse, both of people with disabilities and children generally. Among adults, particularly in the United States, it can be seen as gentle ribbing or self-deprecation, as in the Tiger Woods quote, but can cause offense, and is recommended against in public.The s-word, by Damon Rose, BBC News, 12 April 2006
See also
* (l) * (l)Verb
Usage notes
The sense “to malfunction” is the only sense that is not insulting to the object, and is cognate to (spasm) (compare (seize up)), but still may cause offense due to connections with (spastic).References
Anagrams
*span
English
Etymology 1
(etyl) spannNoun
(en noun)- Yet not to earth's contracted span / Thy goodness let me bound.
- Life's but a span ; I'll every inch enjoy.
- The unsilent present is a time of evaporating attention spans ,
Etymology 2
Old English spannanVerb
(spann)- The suspension bridge spanned the canyon as tenuously as one could imagine.
- 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/]
- The rivers were spanned by arches of solid masonry.
- to span''' a space or distance; to '''span a cylinder
- My right hand hath spanned the heavens.