span-long, a.
[f. span n.1 + long a.]
Having the length of a span; hence, brief, short.
| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. Wks. (Grosart) IV. 214 Though our span long youthly prime, blossomes foorth eye-banquetting flowers,..yet in the graue shall we rotte. 1637 B. Jonson Sad Shepherd ii. ii, There..white faies do dwell, And span-long elves that dance about a pool. 1790 Burns Tam o' Shanter 132 Twa span-lang, wee, unchristen'd bairns. 1878 Browning Poets Croisic 4 While—never mind who..—Sank stifled span-long brightness in the birth. |
| Comb. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 283 In the apprehension of us Momentanean Ephemeri, and span-long-lived Accountants. |