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outspan

An area on a farm kept available for travellers to rest and refresh their animals.

ˈaʊtˌspæn164 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 27, 2026

An area on a farm kept available for travellers to rest and refresh their animals.

: “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.”
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(South Africa, transitive) To release oxen from a harness.

Origin: From . Compare Afrikaans uitspan. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"outspan" means: To release oxen from a harness.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

"outspan" means: To release oxen from a harness.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.

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#3·Apr 27, 2026

(South Africa) The place where one releases oxen from a harness.

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