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noun
1.
the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended.
2.
a unit of length corresponding to this distance, commonly taken as 9 inches (23 cm).
3.
a distance, amount, piece, etc., of this length or of some small extent:
a span of lace.
4.
Civil Engineering, Architecture.

the distance between two supports of a structure.
the structure so supported.
the distance or space between two supports of a bridge.

5.
the full extent, stretch, or reach of anything:
a long span of memory.
6.
Aeronautics. the distance between the wing tips of an airplane.
7.
a limited space of time, as the term or period of living:
Our span on earth is short.
8.
Mathematics. the smallest subspace of a vector space that contains a given element or set of elements.
verb (used with object), spanned, spanning.
9.
to measure by the hand with the thumb and little finger extended.
10.
to encircle with the hand or hands, as the waist.
11.
to extend over or across (a section of land, a river, etc.).
12.
to provide with something that extends over:
to span a river with a bridge.
13.
to extend or reach over (space or time):
a memory that spans 90 years.
14.
Mathematics. to function (in a subspace of a vector space) as a span.
15.
Archery. to bend (the bow) in preparation for shooting.
noun
1.
a pair of horses or other animals harnessed and driven together.
verb, Archaic.
1.
a simple past tense of spin.
verb (used with object), spun or (Archaic) span, spun, spinning.
1.
to make (yarn) by drawing out, twisting, and winding fibers:
Pioneer women spun yarn on spinning wheels.
2.
to form (the fibers of any material) into thread or yarn:
The machine spins nylon thread.
3.
(of spiders, silkworms, etc.) to produce (a thread, cobweb, gossamer, silk, etc.) by extruding from the body a long, slender filament of a natural viscous matter that hardens in the air.
4.
to cause to turn around rapidly, as on an axis; twirl; whirl:
to spin a coin on a table.
5.
Informal. to play (phonograph records):
a job spinning records on a radio show.
6.
Metalworking. to shape (sheet metal) into a hollow, rounded form by pressure from a tool while rotating the metal on a lathe or wheel.
7.
to produce, fabricate, or evolve in a manner suggestive of spinning thread:
to spin a tale of sailing ships and bygone days.
8.
Rocketry. to cause intentionally (a rocket or guided missile) to undergo a roll.
9.
to draw out, protract, or prolong (often followed by out):
He spun the project out for over three years.
10.
British. to flunk a student in an examination or a term’s work.
11.
Slang. to cause to have a particular bias; influence in a certain direction:
His assignment was to spin the reporters after the president’s speech.
verb (used without object), spun or (Archaic) span, spun, spinning.
12.
to revolve or rotate rapidly, as the earth or a top.
13.
to produce a thread from the body, as spiders or silkworms.
14.
to produce yarn or thread by spinning.
15.
to move, go, run, ride, or travel rapidly.
16.
to have a sensation of whirling; reel:
My head began to spin and I fainted.
17.
to fish with a spinning or revolving bait.
noun
18.
the act of causing a spinning or whirling motion.
19.
a spinning motion given to a ball, wheel, axle, or other object.
20.
a downward movement or trend, especially one that is sudden, alarming, etc.:
Steel prices went into a spin.
21.
a rapid run, ride, drive, or the like, as for exercise or enjoyment:
They went for a spin in the car.
22.
Slang. a particular viewpoint or bias, especially in the media; slant:
They tried to put a favorable spin on the news coverage of the controversial speech.
23.
Also called tailspin, tail spin. Aeronautics. a maneuver in which an airplane descends in a vertical direction along a helical path of large pitch and small radius at an angle of attack greater than the critical angle, dangerous when not done intentionally or under control.
24.
Rocketry.

the act of intentionally causing a rocket or guided missile to undergo a roll.
a roll so caused.

25.
Also called spin angular momentum. Physics. the intrinsic angular momentum characterizing each kind of elementary particle, having one of the values 0, 1/2, 1/3, … when measured in units of Planck’s constant divided by 2π.
26.
Australian. a run of luck; fate.
Verb phrases
27.
spin off,

to create something new, as a company or assets, without detracting from or affecting the relative size or stability of the original:
After the acquisition, the company was required to spin off about a third of its assets.
to derive from or base on something done previously:
They took the character of the maid and spun off another TV series.

Idioms
28.
spin one’s wheels. wheel (def 27).
29.
spin out, (of an automobile) to undergo a spinout.
1.
Spaniard.
2.
Spanish.
noun
1.
the interval, space, or distance between two points, such as the ends of a bridge or arch
2.
the complete duration or extent: the span of his life
3.
(psychol) the amount of material that can be processed in a single mental act: apprehension span, span of attention
4.
short for wingspan
5.
a unit of length based on the width of an expanded hand, usually taken as nine inches
verb (transitive) spans, spanning, spanned
6.
to stretch or extend across, over, or around
7.
to provide with something that extends across or around: to span a river with a bridge
8.
to measure or cover, esp with the extended hand
noun
1.
a team of horses or oxen, esp two matched animals
verb
1.
(archaic or dialect) a past tense of spin
abbreviation
1.
Spanish
verb spins, spinning, spun
1.
to rotate or cause to rotate rapidly, as on an axis
2.

to draw out and twist (natural fibres, as of silk or cotton) into a long continuous thread
to make such a thread or filament from (synthetic resins, etc), usually by forcing through a nozzle

3.
(of spiders, silkworms, etc) to form (webs, cocoons, etc) from a silky fibre exuded from the body
4.
(transitive) to shape (metal) into a rounded form on a lathe
5.
(transitive) (informal) to tell (a tale, story, etc) by drawing it out at great length (esp in the phrase spin a yarn)
6.
to bowl, pitch, hit, or kick (a ball) so that it rotates in the air and changes direction or speed on bouncing, or (of a ball) to be projected in this way
7.
(intransitive) (of wheels) to revolve rapidly without causing propulsion
8.
to cause (an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent or (of an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent
9.
(intransitive) foll by along. to drive or travel swiftly
10.
(transitive) Also spin-dry. to rotate (clothes) in a washing machine in order to extract surplus water
11.
(intransitive) to reel or grow dizzy, as from turning around: my head is spinning
12.
(intransitive) to fish by drawing a revolving lure through the water
13.
(intransitive) (informal) to present news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression
noun
14.
a swift rotating motion; instance of spinning
15.
(physics)

the intrinsic angular momentum of an elementary particle or atomic nucleus, as distinguished from any angular momentum resulting from its motion
a quantum number determining values of this angular momentum in units of the Dirac constant, having integral or half-integral values S, s

16.
a condition of loss of control of an aircraft or an intentional flight manoeuvre in which the aircraft performs a continuous spiral descent because the angle of maximum lift is less than the angle of incidence
17.
a spinning motion imparted to a ball, etc
18.
(in skating) any of various movements involving spinning rapidly on the spot
19.
(informal) a short or fast drive, ride, etc, esp in a car, for pleasure
20.
(informal, mainly Brit) flat spin, a state of agitation or confusion
21.
(Austral & NZ, informal) a period of time or an experience; chance or luck; fortune: a bad spin
22.
(commerce, informal) a sudden downward trend in prices, values, etc
23.
(informal) the practice of presenting news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression
24.
(informal) on the spin, one after another: they have lost two finals on the spin
spin
(spĭn)

The intrinsic angular momentum of a rigid body or particle, especially a subatomic particle. Also called spin angular momentum.

The total angular momentum of a physical system, such as an electron orbital or an atomic nucleus.

A quantum number expressing spin angular momentum; the actual angular momentum is a quantum number multiplied by Dirac’s constant. Fermions have spin values that are integer multiples of 1/2 , while bosons have spin values that are integer multiples of 1.

spill one’s guts
SPAN
1.
Small Publishers of North America
2.
standard portfolio analysis of margin
Span.
Spanish
see: spick and span