SPAN definition

(1) The act of sitting or standing astride

(2) A structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

(3) The distance or interval between two points

(4) A unit of length based on the width of the expanded human hand (usually taken as 9 inches)

(5) Two items of the same kind

(6) The complete duration of something

"The job was finished in the span of an hour"

(7) To cover or extend over an area or time period

"Rivers traverse the valley floor", "The parking lot spans 3 acres"

"The novel spans three centuries"