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Glite Dictionary
drawspan

drawspan

1 8.8
A movable part of a bridge that lifts to let ships pass underneath
  • noun
  • /ˈdrɔːˌspæn/
  • Specialized
: tramo móvil
  • The drawspan of the bridge was raised to let the boat pass.

Examples

  • The drawbridge's drawspan lifted to let the large ships pass underneath.

  • When the drawspan is lowered, cars and pedestrians can cross the bridge as usual.

  • The drawspan was raised to allow the cargo ship to pass through the waterway.

  • Engineers inspected the drawspan regularly to ensure it operated safely and smoothly.

  • The drawspan is essential for river traffic.

  • During the maintenance, the drawspan of the bridge was temporarily removed to allow for repairs.

  • Boaters waited patiently as the drawspan rose, granting them access to the river.

Surface Forms

drawspan singular
drawspans plural

Morphology

drawspan = draw + span (semi-transparent) = draw + span

The compound is analyzable as 'draw' + 'span', but the specific technical meaning (movable section of a drawbridge) is specialized and may not be predictable for learners unfamiliar with bridge terminology.

Etymology

Drawspan comes from the words draw ('to pull') and span ('a section' or 'the distance between two points'), so a drawspan is the section of a drawbridge that is pulled up or lowered to let boats pass.