handspan
1
5.0
- noun
- /ˈhændˌspæn/
:
palmo
- His own keep boasted more stone than any other in all the Islands, as was fitting, but every handspan of it would not have built even this staircase.
- three handspans
Examples
-
Punter, his life had you hit him just a fraction of a handspan higher. "This isn't fair," Adikor repeated, looking now at the adjudicator.
Fiction book (2002) -
Dainty cloven hooves planted themselves hard and decidedly in the earth just a handspan from the fence, bright garnet eyes twinkling with amusement.
Fiction book (1999) -
The morning had dawned clear, and the sun was no more than two handspans over the eastern horizon.
Fiction book (1992) -
When I see myself from even a narrow handspan away, I think, well, with perspective, considering the length of human survival and human procreation, I shall keep a hold on hope.
Fiction book (2001) -
Leg irons with only a handspan of chain between them were locked around the ankles of each, forcing them to move with a slow, uncertain, shuffling gait made even more tentative by each being effectively blind.
Fiction book (2002) -
It was also a most unusual sight for those observing Ruth as he drifted gently across the bridge, a handspan above the arc of consoles, ducking his head to keep from scraping the ceiling.
Fiction book (1991) -
On the fourth, his fellow squire, Edrel of River Ussh—a year older and a handspan taller—gave him a salutary lesson in humility and fistfighting.
Fiction book (1992) -
The distance between my thumb and little finger, which we call a handspan, is about eight inches.
-
In the measurement of hand size, a handspan is often used to estimate reach and grip strength.
-
To describe her reach, she said her handspan is larger than average, measuring over ten inches.
Synonyms
12
9.7
An old unit of length based on the width of a person's hand
The width of a hand used as a rough measure of about 8 to 10 cm
A small measure equal to the width of a human hand
How Wide
- Specialized
16
3.2
- Archaic
11
9.8
1
5.0
- Archaic
12
9.7
- Archaic
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Handspan is made from hand and span, where span means 'distance across', as in wingspan. A handspan is the distance from the tip of your thumb to the tip of your little finger when your hand is open, so the origin shows why it means a simple measure of length using your hand.