v.
(spins, spinning, spun)
- turn or cause to turn round quickly.
▸(of a person's head) give a sensation of dizziness.
▸chiefly Cricket (with reference to a ball) move or cause to move through the air with a revolving motion.
▸shape (sheet metal) by pressure applied during rotation on a lathe.
- draw out and twist (the fibres of wool, cotton, or other material) to convert them into yarn.
▸make (threads) in this way.
▸(of a spider, silkworm, etc.) produce (gossamer or silk) or construct (a web or cocoon) by extruding a fine viscous thread from a special gland.
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(spin something out)
make something last as long as possible.
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(spin out)
N. Amer. (of a driver or car) lose control in a skid.
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(spin something off)
(of a parent company) turn a subsidiary into a new and separate company.
- informal give (a news story) a particular emphasis or bias.
- fish with a spinner.
n.
- a spinning motion.
▸a fast revolving motion of an aircraft as it descends rapidly.
▸Physics the intrinsic angular momentum of a subatomic particle.
- informal a brief trip in a vehicle for pleasure.
- the presentation of information in a particular way, especially a favourable one.
- Austral./NZ informal a piece of good or bad luck.
Phrase
- flat spin
- a spin in which an aircraft descends in tight circles while remaining horizontal.
- Brit. informal a state of agitation.
- spin one's wheels
N. Amer. informal waste one's time or efforts. - spin a yarn
tell a long, far-fetched story.
Etymology
OE spinnan ‘draw out and twist (fibre)’.