outspan

American  

[aut-span, aut-span] / ˌaʊtˈspæn, ˈaʊtˌspæn /

verb (used with object)

outspanned, outspanning

1. to unyoke or unhitch, as oxen from a wagon.

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verb (used without object)

outspanned, outspanning

1. to remove the yoke, harness, etc., from animals.

noun

1. the act or a place of outspanning.

outspan British  

noun

1. an area on a farm kept available for travellers to rest and refresh animals

2. the act of unharnessing or unyoking

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verb

1. (tr) to unharness or unyoke (animals)

2. (intr) to relax

Etymology

Origin of outspan

1815–25; translation of Afrikaans uitspan; see out-, span ²

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

outspan outspanned outspanning

It was not, as a rule, at the outspan, where many hands were available, that Snowball gave trouble, but out hunting when I was alone or with only one companion.

From Jock of the Bushveld by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick

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 H.A. Bryden

A delay occurred at a ford, and it was half-past three in the morning before we arrived at the outspan, which the foremost waggons had reached at twelve o'clock.

From Through Shot and Flame The Adventures and Experiences of J. D. Kestell Chaplain to President Steyn and General Christian De Wet by J. D. (John Daniel) Kestell

A hundred grass ticks having at various times of outspan made convenient entry through open-work brown silk stockings, chewed at my ankles causing exquisite irritation not to be assuaged by a violent application of finger-nails.

From The Claw by Cynthia Stockley

That happened four and thirty years ago, in 1857, in the Marico country, within less than sixty miles of this very outspan.

From From Veldt Camp Fires by H.A. Bryden

The oxen were outspanned, and turned out to graze on the veldt, care being taken to prevent their straying.

From Perils in the Transvaal and Zululand by H.C. Adams

There, where afterwards Cassidy did his work, we outspanned one day when the heat became so great that it was no longer possible to go on.

From Jock of the Bushveld by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick

In all these weeks I haven’t seen a soul besides yourselves, except for a party of prospectors who outspanned one night.”

From Grit Lawless by F.E. Mills Young

At the end of three hours the oxen were outspanned to graze and the boys prepared our midday meal.

From Yankee Girls in Zulu Land by Louise Vescelius-Sheldon

In the evening we outspanned on the farm of Petrus Schoeman and halted for the night, expecting to hear from General de Wet every moment.

From Through Shot and Flame The Adventures and Experiences of J. D. Kestell Chaplain to President Steyn and General Christian De Wet by J. D. (John Daniel) Kestell

“Where’s the dad?” said Brian, looking up from his outspanning.

From A Veldt Vendetta by Bertram Mitford

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 Louise Vescelius-Sheldon

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 W. C. (William Charles) Scully

Then, immediately after breakfast, the oxen were inspanned, and, pushing forward a little more rapidly than on the first day, we forded the Great Fish River shortly after noon before outspanning for the midday halt.

From Through Veld and Forest An African Story by Archibald Webb

All that day and all the next we toiled on, only outspanning once or twice during the daytime, and at night, by water, to rest and refresh the oxen for a few hours.

From Tales of South Africa by H.A. Bryden

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