A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375, 1513
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Span, v.1 Also: spayn. [ME and e.m.E. span (Trevisa), OE ymbspannan, ON spenna, OF espaner (1265 in Godefroy). Cf. Span n.1] tr. ? To encircle with the hand, to grasp, take hold of, seize. — 1375 Barb. iii 582.
And newys … That wont to spayn gret speris war, Swa spaynyt aris 1513 Doug. iii iii 111.
Down fallis salis, the aris sone we span [L. remis insurgimus]; But mair abaid, the marineris … Egirly rollis our the fomy flude 1513 Doug. iii v 13.
Syne, to depart of that havyn, I command Syt down on hechis and span aris [L. considere transtris] in hand 1513 Doug. iv x 98.
Span [L. considite transtris]
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"Span v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/span_v_1>
