spin
/spɪn/ verb, noun
Forms spins spinning spun span spinned
- verb (ergative) To rotate, revolve, gyrate (usually quickly); to partially or completely rotate to face another direction. “I spun myself around a few times.”
- verb (aviation, of an aircraft) To enter, or remain in, a spin (abnormal stalled flight mode).
- verb (aviation, of a pilot) To cause one's aircraft to enter or remain in a spin (abnormal stalled flight mode).
- verb (transitive) To make yarn by twisting and winding fibers together. “They spin the cotton into thread.”
- verb (figurative) To present, describe, or interpret, or to introduce a bias or slant, so as to give something a favorable or advantageous appearance.
- verb (cricket, of a bowler) To make the ball move sideways when it bounces on the pitch. “This pitch is usually preferred for spin than pace.”
- verb (cricket, of a ball) To move sideways when bouncing. “Spinning the ball gave him figures of 7-48.”
- verb (cooking) To form into thin strips or ribbons, as with sugar.
- noun Circular motion, usually rapid. “The car went into a spin.”
- noun A state of confusion or disorientation. “My mind was in a spin.”
- noun (quantum mechanics) A quantum angular momentum associated with subatomic particles, which also creates a magnetic moment.
- noun A novel, creative variation of an existing thing or type; a twist.
- noun (countable, uncountable, figurative) A favourable comment or interpretation intended to bias opinion on an otherwise unpleasant situation. “spin doctor”
- noun (sports) Rotation of the ball as it flies through the air; sideways movement of the ball as it bounces.
- noun (aviation) A condition of flight where a stalled aircraft is simultaneously pitching, yawing, and rolling in a spinning motion.
- noun (mechanical engineering) An abnormal condition in journal bearings where the bearing seizes to the rotating shaft and rotates inside the journal, destroying both the shaft and the journal.
- noun (autism, slang) A special interest of an autistic person.
Synonyms
whitewash sugarcoat put lipstick on gild blandish dress up spin out flunk plough pluck swazz spinning spinterest twirl twist twisting whirl tailspin spin around reel gyrate birl
Etymology
From Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan, from Proto-Germanic *spinnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)penh₁-.
Cognate with Dutch, German spinnen (“to spin”), Luxembourgish spannen (“to spin”), Yiddish שפּינען (shpinen, “spin”), Danish spinde (“to spin”), Faroese, Icelandic and Swedish spinna (“to spin”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk spinne (“to spin”), Gothic 𐍃𐍀𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 (spinnan, “to spin”).
Clipping of special interest.
Clipping of spinnaker.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To draw out, and twist into threads, either by the hand or machinery; as, to spin wool, cotton, or flax; to spin goat's hair; to produce by drawing out and twisting a fibrous material.
- verb To draw out tediously; to form by a slow process, or by degrees; to extend to a great length; --with out; as, to spin out large volumes on a subject.
- verb To practice spinning; to work at drawing and twisting threads; to make yarn or thread from fiber; as, the woman knows how to spin; a machine or jenny spins with great exactness.
- verb To move round rapidly; to whirl; to revolve, as a top or a spindle, about its axis.
Etymology [AS. spinnan; akin to D. & G. spinnen, Icel. & Sw. spinna, Dan. spinde, Goth. spinnan, and probably to E. span. sq. root170. Cf. Span, v. t., Spider.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “spin”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details