inspan

[in-span]

verb (used with object)

South Africa.

inspanned, inspanning 

1. to yoke or harness.

inspan

/ ɪnˈspæn /

verb

1. to harness (animals) to (a vehicle); yoke

2. to press (people) into service

Word History and Origins

Origin of inspan¹

From Afrikaans, dating back to 1825–35; in- ¹, span ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of inspan¹

C19: from Afrikaans, from Middle Dutch inspannen, from spannen to stretch, yoke; see _span ¹

Example Sentences

The oxen were inspanned, the mules also, and about noon we started off on our trek for Zombode.

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The horses appeared with the driver, and the business of inspanning began.

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The first thing was to harness, or, as it is termed in that country, to inspan the cattle.

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He could inspan and outspan oxen, and was already master of other useful veldt wrinkles, which usually take some time to acquire.

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“Rum go, our meeting again, like this,” he said to Lawless, while they stood in the sunshine together and watched the others inspanning the mules.

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