A pair of horses driven together.
1769. Wanted, a SPANN of good Horses for a Curricle.—Advt., Boston-Gazette, Oct. 2.
1806. A good opportunity for a gentleman who wishes a very excellent horse to match for a span.—Advt., The Repertory, Boston, Aug. 15.
1819. I was at a loss to understand what he meant by a span; but I found he meant his pair of horses, or creatures as he called them.—“An Englishman” in the Western Star: Mass. Spy, May 12.
1824. He will shoe oxen at two dollars a yoke, and single horses for a dollar; or two dollars a span.—Advt., Rouse’s Point Harbinger, Feb. 7.
1851. I saw two dandies in a light wagon coming up, driving a span of horses most furiously, which made me fear that somebody would get hurt by their dangerous and unjustifiable speed.—Joel H. Ross, ‘What I Saw in New-York,’ p. 168 (Auburn, N.Y.).
1857. How I longed for a dashing American cutter, with a span of fast horses!—Bayard Taylor, ‘Northern Travel,’ p. 155.
1859. I would say to a gentleman who insisted on keeping a span of horses, a carriage, and a footman, if you will have them, feed them.—Mr. Hale of New Hampshire, U.S. Senate, Feb. 15: Cong. Globe, p. 1038.
