spanner
English
/ˈspæn.ə(ɹ)/, /ˈspæn.ɚ/
noun
Definitions
- (Australian) A hand tool for adjusting nuts and bolts; a wrench.
- (rare) One who, or that which, spans.
- (weaponry) A hand tool shaped like a small crank handle, for winding the spring of a wheel lock on a musket.
- (obsolete) A device in early steam engines for moving the valves for the alternate admission and shutting off of the steam.
- (UK) A problem, dilemma or obstacle; something unexpected or troublesome (in the phrase spanner in the works)
- (British) A stupid or unintelligent person; one prone to making mistakes, especially in language.
Etymology
Suffix from English span (pair of horses, the distance between two ends of a thing, non-gloss definition).
Origin
English
span
Gloss
pair of horses, the distance between two ends of a thing, non-gloss definition
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- clearspan English
- cospan English
- endspan English
- forspan English
- handspan English
- healthspan English
- inspan English
- legspan English
- lifespan English
- linkspan English
- mainspan English
- makespan English
- midspan English
- outspan English
- overspan English
- span English
- spanless English
- spannable English
- spannerless English
- spanwise English
- spanworm English
- subspan English
- supraspan English
- tetraspan English
- timespan English
- widespan English
- wingspan English
- yepsen English
- spanne Middle English
- palmspan Old Norse
- 士巴拿 Chinese
- spana Swahili
- isipanela Zulu
- spana Tok Pisin
- sufana Hausa
- पानो Konkani