4. a unit of length based on the width of the expanded human hand (usually taken as 9 inches);
5. a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.; [syn: bridge, span]
6. the act of sitting or standing astride; [syn: straddle, span]
VERB (1)
1. to cover or extend over an area or time period; - Example: "Rivers traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3 acres" - Example: "The novel spans three centuries" [syn: cross, traverse, span, sweep]