outspan
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
noun
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an area on a farm kept available for travellers to rest and refresh animals
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the act of unharnessing or unyoking
verb
-
(tr) to unharness or unyoke (animals)
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(intr) to relax
Etymology
Origin of outspan
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
About sundown, just before we were ready to start, some other waggons passed, and Ted, knowing the owner, went on with him intending to rejoin us at the next outspan.
From Jock of the Bushveld by Fitzpatrick, Percy, Sir
I began to think rather wistfully of the little tin hotel or thatched store I knew must be near, where we would outspan for the night.
From The Claw by Stockley, Cynthia
A quarter of a mile away she had some thought of turning from the road to avoid the outspan and its risks, but it was too late.
From From Veldt Camp Fires by Bryden, H.A.
“Oh, do let us outspan in the veldt,” answered Lilian, gleefully.
From The Fire Trumpet A Romance of the Cape Frontier by Mitford, Bertram
“We can either stop there, or drive on a little farther and outspan in the veldt, whichever you prefer.”
From The Fire Trumpet A Romance of the Cape Frontier by Mitford, Bertram
At nightfall, more dead than alive, we outspanned beneath the loom of a gigantic mountain range, whose recesses we were to pierce on the following morning.
From From Veldt Camp Fires by Bryden, H.A.
We outspanned on the rise, and I told Jim to leave the reim on Zwaartland’s head.
From Jock of the Bushveld by Fitzpatrick, Percy, Sir
We had outspanned in a flat covered with close grass about two feet high and shady flat-topped thorn trees.
From Jock of the Bushveld by Fitzpatrick, Percy, Sir
They outspanned and inspanned three times before the wagon stirred, and a hole had been dug big enough to bury us all in before the wheels were released.
From Yankee Girls in Zulu Land by Vescelius-Sheldon, Louise
He scarcely noticed the bee-hive-shaped huts, for his eager eyes were fixed upon a couple of large bullock-waggons outspanned on the banks of the river.
From The War of the Axe Adventures in South Africa by Percy-Groves, J.
On the first occasion of our outspanning here I had the curiosity to mount this slope, reflecting as I did so that although rough it would be quite practicable for a wagon.
From Finished by Haggard, Henry Rider
He pulled up within a few yards of Old Schalk’s camp, and, while Piet Noona was outspanning the mules, he untied the tin box and carried it at once into the mat-house.
From Between Sun and Sand A Tale of an African Desert by Scully, W. C. (William Charles)
We soon had the good things we had brought with us transferred from the cart to a grassy knoll, and our charioteer outspanning and knee-haltering the horses, let them wander away and graze.
From Yankee Girls in Zulu Land by Vescelius-Sheldon, Louise
He could hear the trap draw up at Gideon Roux’ house over the way and the sound of voices, could see a light or two, as the people were outspanning.
From Aletta A Tale of the Boer Invasion by Mitford, Bertram
There was a long journey ahead of us, so we only remained during the time that was occupied in outspanning the tired mules and inspanning the fresh lot.
From Argentina from a British Point of View by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
