spänna

From Old Swedish spänna, from Old Norse spenna, from Proto-Germanic *spannijaną, causative of *spannaną (“to stretch, to span”). Cognate with Danish spænde, and Middle Low German spennen.

• IPA^(key): /spɛnːa/

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spänna

1. to stretch, to tighten (a rope, a spring)

   spänna öronen

   to cock one's ears

2. to pull (the string of) a bow or crossbow

   Det är skönare lyss till en sträng, som brast, än att aldrig spänna en båge

   It is nobler to hear a string, that snapped, than never to pull a bow

3. to fasten (a belt), to clamp (put in a spanner), to strap on (skies etc.)

   spänna för hästen

   hitch a horse, harness the horse

4. to span (to extend across a gap)
5. to build a bridge

   Över Ljungan spändes tvenne nya broar

   Across Ljungan (river) two new bridges were built

6. (dated, dialectal) to kick, to jump

   en fåle spänner med foten

   a pony kicks with its foot

7. (slang) to spend (time or money)

• spänna in Svenska Akademiens ordlista över svenska språket (13th ed., online)
• spänna in Svenska Akademiens ordbok online.