spale 
fine upon for breach of some rule of the mine. 
Wenlc. 
spall 1 (spal), c. [Also xpaicl ; a later form of 
spii/il 1 , iii part due to spall 1 , .] I. trims. 1. 
Tosplit; splinter; chip; specifically, in miiiiinj, 
5793 
4f. To cock by the use of a spa run r. as a wheel- 
lock musket or pistol. 
Every man, officer and soldier, havliiK a pistol ready 
spannd in one hand. Clarendon, Civil Wars, III. 24s. 
5. \iiul., to confine with ropes: as. to span the 
* . ' , _ ' ' *i m t if' v, .*(. j \,\j UWIUUW n 1 1 11 I UIH'M . U>, [( KlIHK I III" * V/LJt:rj. \j. >"/ ill ill' * 
to chip or break up roughly, as ore, prepara- booms. 6. To shackle the legs of, as a horse; original Dutch OMge), 
spane 
7. \iint., a rope fastened at both ends BO that 
a purchase may lie 1 keii to its tii^lit: 
ft Curable rope having thimliles attach. . 
tweeu its two pints, used us ;i r for 
ropes. 8. (a) In the t'nitcd States ifroie tin- 
hobble. [Prov. Eng.] 
II. niti'iiiix. 1. To measure off or mark dis- 
tances from point to point; make distinct 
stretches in going, as a span-worm or measur- 
ing-worm does. 
If the whale is spanning, I. e. swimming In ii ili-cidcil 
ilinriiiiM and appearing at the surface at intervals more 
or less regular, less caution is observed. 
tory to sorting the material. 2. [< epaU*, n.} 
To keep (the frames of a ship) at their proper 
distance apart. 
II. intriiiis. To splinter; chip; give off spalls. 
spall 1 (spiil), ii. [Also spawl; < ME. spalle; a 
var. of spell*, spew, etc., in part due to sptill 1 , 
v. : see spell*, and cf. spald 1 , spate 1 .'] A chip or 
splinter thrown off, as in chopping or hewing ; 
now specifically, in masonry, a piece of stone 
chipped off by a blow of a hammer or mallet. 2. To be matched for running in harness ; form 
spall-, spawl 3 (spal), n. [Also spaul, and a span: as, the horses span well. [U.S.] 
formerly spaht, xpiiuld ; < ME. "spaiile, spaldc, span 1 (span), . [< ME. xpuiuir, x/iiiiuit; < AS. 
spaicde, < OF. espnule, "espaulde, F. epaule = span, a span (def. 4), gespan, a joining, connec- 
Sp. Pg. espa/da = It. spalla, the shoulder, < L. tion, = I), span, a span, a team of horses, = OHG. 
spatula, a broad blade: see spatula 
let.} The shoulder. [Obsolete or 
Their mightie strokes their haberjeoi 
pair of In, i 
mules harnessed together: particularly, a pair 
of horses usually driven together, or matched 
for driving or work. (Ii) In South Al'i-ii-a. 
two or more yokes of oxen or bul locks attached 
to a wagon or a plow. For a wagon the span may 
consist of from twelve to twenty animals, and for a plow 
of six or eight. 
span 2 . An arehaie preterit of spin. 
~Encye. Brit., XXIV. 626. span 3 (span), ailr. [The first element in the 
compound .//-//< erroneously taken as a 
separate word: see .\/ni/i-in-ir, and ef. sfiii-k-n mi- 
span.'} Wholly; entirely; freshly: as, my hands 
are span clean (sometimes gpandy clean). Bart- 
lett. [Colloq., U. 8.] 
Sec apiiiii mm, etc. 
The long, horizon- 
which the vertical axis 
And uaked made each others manly spalles. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. vi. 29. 
shoulder, < L. tion, = D.*pM,aspan,ateamof horses, = Ol I < J . < 
ula. Cf. epaii- spanna, MHG. G. spanne (> It. s[niiniii = OF. spanaemia, spanaemic. See 
or Scotch ] espan, F. empan) = Icel. spiiiin (spann-) = Sw. span-beam (span'bem), . 
iBdismavld spann = Dan. spaiid, a span; from the vrb.] 1. tal wooden beam into which 
., ' ' mi *-_!! __ ___!_ l_ 1 1 ft a ii\r tttr tlm il*>tini nf u ltj-t?*u<} 
spallier (spal'yer), . [Also spaliard; cf. *j 
iard.} A laborer in tin-works, ffalliicell. 
spalling-floor (spa'ling-fldr), n. A clear space 
on the ground, a low platform, or something 
similar, on which ores are spalled. 
spalling-hammer ( spa ' ling- ham "er), n. A 
heavy ax-like hammer with a chisel-edge, used 
for rough-dressing stone by chipping off small 
flakes; in mining, any hammer with which spall- 
ing is done. 
spalpeen (spal'pen), n. [< Ir. spailpin, a mean 
fellow, rascal, stroller (= Gael, spailpean, a 
mean fellow, a fop), < spailp, a beau, also pride, 
self-conceit, = Gael, spailp, pride, self-conceit ; 
cf. spailp, strut, walk affectedly.] A mean fel- 
low ; a rascal : a term of contempt, or of con- 
temptuous pity, for a man or boy. [Irish.] 
The spalpeen! turned into a buckeen that would be a 
squireen, but can't. Miss Edgeworth, Love and Law, i. 4. 
spalt 1 (spalt), v. [An altered form of spald 1 , 
prob. due to a pp. spalt. Cf. spalt 2 .] To split 
off, as large splinters from a piece of timber in 
working it. [Prov. Eng.] 
spalt 2 (spalt), a. [Appar. < spalt 1 , perhaps 
through the pp. spalt.} If. Brittle; liable to 
break or split. 
Of all oke growing in England, the parke oke is the soft- 
est, and far more spalt and brickie than the hedge oke. 
Harrison, Descrip. of Eng., ii. 22 (Holinshed's Chron., I.). 
2. Frail ; clumsy ; heedless ; pert. Halliwell. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
spalt 3 (spalt), . [< G. spalt(-steiri), spalt, lit. 
'splinter-stone,' < spalten, split (see spalfl), + 
stein, stone.] A whitish scaly mineral, used to 
promote the fusion of metals. 
span 1 (span), v. ; pret. and pp. spanned, ppr. 
spanning. [< ME. spannen, < AS. spannan, spon- 
nan (pret. spe6nn), gespannan, bind, connect, = 
D. spannan, stretch, bend, hoist, cock (a gun), 
hitch (horses), = MLG. LG. spannen = OHG. 
spannan, MHG. G. spannen, extend, connect, = 
Icel. spenna, span, clasp, = Sw. spiinna, stretch, 
strain, draw, = Dan. spxnde, stretch, strain, 
span, buckle ; / span, perhaps, with present for- 
mative -n, < / spa, extend, in Gr. oTraeiv, avav, 
The full extent or course over which anything carrying the drum of a horse-whim is pivoted. 
is stretched or prolonged ; the space or time span-block (span'blok), n. Naut., one of two 
covered or included between terminal points ; blocks seized into each bight of a span and 
entire reach from end to end or from side to hung across masthead for various uses, 
side : as, the span of life ; the span of a bridge, spancel (span'sel), . [< MD. spanseel, spansel, 
As used of physical things, span is understood as the actual a tether fora horse, a stretched rope, D. spatt- 
sel, a stretched rope (= G. spann-seil, a tether), 
< spannen (= G. spannen), stretch (= E. span 1 ), 
+ MD. seel, a rope (= OHG. MHG. G. xeil, a 
rope, cord, = E. sole*).} A fastening for the 
hind legs of a horse or cow, or for the legs on 
or net space or distance between bounding lines or sur- 
faces ; hence, the span of an arch is the length of the open- 
ing between the inner faces of its abutments. Compare 
def. 2. Often used figuratively. 
The brief span of Roman literature, strictly so called, 
was suddenly closed under a variety of influences. 
Maine, Village Communities, p. 381. 
one side, to prevent the animal from kicking 
or straying; especially, a rope for fettering a 
cow's hind legs while she is milked ; a tether. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
Spancel, a rope to tie a cow's hinder legs. 
Ray (ed. 1674X p. 44. 
ling. [< spancel, n.} To fasten the legs of with 
a spancel, as those of a cow or horse to prevent 
the animal from kicking. [Prov. Eng.] To 
spancel a crab or a lobster, to stick the point of a leg 
into the base of each movable claw, to prevent the animal 
from pinching. This in also done by thrusting a peg into 
the joint of the nippers or cheto. 
to a 
Two arches over the same span of river, supposing the 
hutments are at the same depth, are cheaper than one. 
Rusltin, Elements of Drawing. 
Yea, Manhood hath a wider span 
And larger privilege of life than man. 
Lowell, Comm. Ode. 
2. A part or division of something between SJJancel (span'sel), i: t.; pret. and pp. span- 
terminal points: as, a bridge of ten spans. In ? eterf _ r .spanctlled,jpr. gpanceling or spanccl- 
this sense a span would comprise the distance from the 
middle line of one pier or support to that of the next, the 
whole number of spans including the entire length of the 
structure. [The decision of the case referred to in the first 
quotation turned upon the distinction between senses 1 
and 2.] 
The word span does not, even in architecture, alwayi 
mean a part of a structure, 
to denote the distance or 
Such is the obvious import -N me i < i m ..- u-. -i m i m m,v . , - f . 
under consideration, not merely as a part of the structure clog: said of ahorse. When the 
itself, but the measure of the distance between the piers bearing is properly depicted, a fore and 
of the bridge a hind leg should have each a fetter- 
U. S. Supreme Ct., March, 1888. (Judge Lamar.) lock above the hoof and fastened to the 
The channel spans were built out from the central pier ' H27LtWM .** \ ., 
and from the adjacent flanking spans without the use of Span-COUntert(span koun"ter),H. 
false works in either channel. Scribner'n Mag., IV. 32. [< span', t., + obj. counter'.} An 
3. Extent of stretch, physical or mental; dis- 
tance over which anything may be extended ; 
reach or grasp, as of the memory or of percep- 
tion. [Bare.] 
Between the ages of eight and nineteen the span of 
school-girls Increases from 6 to 7.9 for letters, and from 6.6 
to 8.6 for numerals. Span increases not only with age, 
but with rank in class, and it is suggested that a " stan- 
dard span " be added to the items for anthropometric mea- 
surement. Arner. Jour. Psychol., 1. 193. 
ire. It is perhaps, as often used spa nceled, spancelled (span'seld), a. [< span 
or space between two columns. *, , ..M -\ ;,,.,. hobbled or fpttprVd to i 
ort of the term as used in the act *? .,-'., ler '> 
4. As a measure, originally, the extent between 
the tips of the thumb and little finger when 
stretched out: the oldest use of the word in 
The span belongs to the system of long mea- 
old game in which one player 
threw a counter on the ground, 
and another tried to hit it with his 
counter, or to get so near to it that he could 
span the space between them and touch both 
the counters. In either case he won ; U not, his count- 
er remained where it fell, and became a mark for the nret 
player, and so alternately till the game was won. The 
game was apparently similar to that of pitching pennies, 
and it was also called span-farthing and span-feather. Hal- 
liwell. 
Tell the king from me that, for his father's sake, Henry 
the Fifth, in whose time boys went to span-counter for 
h'rriii-h crowns, I am content he shall reign. 
Shot., 2 Hen. VI., iv. 2. 166. 
mauve -, s y */'. exmuu, ui . 8ur e to which the cubit and flngerbreadth belong. It has gpan-dogs (span'dogz), M. pi. A pair of iron 
draw, draw out (see spasm), L. spatium, exten- always been considered as half a cubit, and still is so in ars i\^ke(\ together at one end and having 
sion, space (see space). Cf. spin, speed.} I. several countries of Asia. The English span is 9 inches. h hooks at the other used for erannlinS 
trans. If. To stretch or spread out ; extend in The Swedish span* is an entirely different kind of mea- 
spread 
continuity ; give extent to. 
My right hand hath spanned [spread out, R. V.) the 
heavens. Isa. xlviii. 13. 
2. To stretch from side to side or from end to 
end of ; extend over or across; continue through 
or over the extent of. 
This soul doth span the world. G. Herbert, Content. 
The Rhyndacus is still spanned by an ancient bridge of 
three arches. B. Taylor, Lands of the Saracen, p. 29S. 
The existing church shows portions of work a thousand 
years apart, and spans nearly the whole of Aquileian his- 
tory. E. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 63. 
3. To make a stretch or reach along, over, or 
around; measure or cover the span of; grasp; 
specifically, to measure or encompass with the fall a whole shower of i-ain. 
hand, the little finger and thumb being extended Thyself but Dust -, t 
as far as possible: as, to span a stream with a 
log or a bridge ; to span a person's wrist. 
Thenne the kinge spanes his spere. 
Amwyng of Arthur, st. 13. (Steal.) 
Oft on the well known spot I fix my eyes, 
And snan the distance that between us lies. 
Tickett, An Epistle. 
How your plump arms, that were, have dropped away '. 
Why, I can span them. Brotminy, Pippa Passes, iii. 
364 
sure. 
Spanne. mesure of the hand. Palmus. 
Prompt. Parv., p. 467. 
Whyche Morteys ys In Depnesse ij Spannys to the botom ; 
the brede ys sumwhat more thane a Spanne. 
TorHnyton, Diarie of Eng. Travell, p. 43. 
Atween his shoulders was ae span, 
About his middle war but three. 
The Wee Wee Man (Child's Ballads, 1. 126). 
5. Figuratively, any short space or period'; a 
brief or limited extent or course ; a relatively 
small measure of continuity. 
Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long. 
Book of Common Prayer, Psalter, XMix. 6. 
timber. See cut under dog. 
spandrel (span'drel), . [Also spandril, for- 
merly splaundrel, spaundere; origin obscure.] 
In arch., the triangular space comprehended be- 
tween the outer curve or extrados of an arch, 
a horizontal line drawn through its apex, and 
a vertical line through its springing; also, the 
wall-space between the outer moldings of two 
arches and a horizontal line or string-course 
above them, or between these outer moldings 
and the intrados of another arch rising above 
and inclosing the two. In medieval architecture 
the spandrels are often ornamented with tracery, sculp- 
tured foliage, and the like. See cut on following \ 
For the refreshing of that one span of ground God lets spandrel-Wall (span'drel-wal), . A wall built 
Donne, Sermons, x. o] , the ext rados of an arch, filling in the span- 
drel. 
spandy (span'di), adv. A dialectal extension 
of *p. [Colloq., New Eng.] 
Thirty gentlemen with spandy clean faces and hands 
were partaking of refreshment. 
L. M. Alcott, Hospital Sketches, p. 319. 
spane (span), c. t. ; pret. and top. spaned. ppr. 
spatting. [< ME. spaneii, < AS. spaiiaii (pret. 
.. thy Stature but a Span, 
A Moment thy Duration ; foolish Man ! 
Prior, Solomon, 1. 
6. The hand with the fingers outspread, as for 
measuring or for grasping a handful of some- 
thing. [Bare.] 
And my Conductor, with his spans extended, 
Took of the earth, and, with his fists well filled, 
He threw it Into those rapacious gullets. 
Longfellow, tr. of Dante's Inferno, vi. 26. 
spedn), wean (= D. spanen, spenen 
