outspan

O1U1T1S1P3A1N1

verb

To release oxen from a harness.

Opposite
inspan
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

verboutspan (third-person singular simple present outspans, present participle outspanning, simple past and past participle outspanned)

present singular third person outspans · participle present outspanning · participle past outspanned · past outspanned

  1. South AfricatransitiveTo release oxen from a harness.

    We had outspanned on in a flat covered with close grass about two feet high…The wagons, four in number, were drawn up off the road two abreast.

    1976, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, Jock of the Bushveld, Longman, ISBN 058261231, page 126
nounoutspan (plural outspans)

plural outspans

  1. South AfricaThe place where one releases oxen from a harness.

    At the outspan or on the road or footpath he shouldered them aside as one walks through standing corn, not aggressively, but with the superb indifference of right and habit unquestioned.

    1976, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick, Jock of the Bushveld, Longman, ISBN 058261231, page 202
  2. An area on a farm kept available for travellers to rest and refresh their animals.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbremove the yoke or harness from

Opposite
inspan
Broader
unyokeunharness

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From out + span. Compare Afrikaans uitspan.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

outsnapsoapnut
Cite this entry
APA

outspan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outspan

MLA

“outspan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outspan. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “outspan,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outspan.

Source: outspan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.