Word Frequency
spin (spɪn
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: spins, spinning, spun
- to rotate or cause to rotate rapidly, as on an axis
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- to draw out and twist (natural fibres, as of silk or cotton) into a long continuous thread
- to make such a thread or filament from (synthetic resins, etc), usually by forcing through a nozzle
- (of spiders, silkworms, etc) to form (webs, cocoons, etc) from a silky fibre exuded from the body
- tr to shape (metal) into a rounded form on a lathe
- tr (informal) to tell (a tale, story, etc) by drawing it out at great length (esp in the phrase spin a yarn)
- to bowl, pitch, hit, or kick (a ball) so that it rotates in the air and changes direction or speed on bouncing, or (of a ball) to be projected in this way
- intr (of wheels) to revolve rapidly without causing propulsion
- to cause (an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent or (of an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent
- intr foll by along to drive or travel swiftly
- Also: spin-dry tr to rotate (clothes) in a washing machine in order to extract surplus water
- intr to reel or grow dizzy, as from turning around ⇒
my head is spinning
- intr to fish by drawing a revolving lure through the water
- intr (informal) to present news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression
noun
- a swift rotating motion; instance of spinning
- (physics)
- the intrinsic angular momentum of an elementary particle or atomic nucleus, as distinguished from any angular momentum resulting from its motion
- a quantum number determining values of this angular momentum in units of the Dirac constant, having integral or half-integral values S, s
- a condition of loss of control of an aircraft or an intentional flight manoeuvre in which the aircraft performs a continuous spiral descent because the angle of maximum lift is less than the angle of incidence
- a spinning motion imparted to a ball, etc
- (in skating) any of various movements involving spinning rapidly on the spot
- (informal) a short or fast drive, ride, etc, esp in a car, for pleasure
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See flat spin
- (Australian & New Zealand, informal) a period of time or an experience; chance or luck; fortune ⇒
a bad spin
- (business, informal) a sudden downward trend in prices, values, etc
- (informal) the practice of presenting news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression
- same as Spinning
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See on the spin
Word Origin
Old English spinnan; related to Old Norse spinna, Old High German spinnan to spin, Lithuanian pinu to braidTranslations for 'spin'
- British English: spin If something spins or if you spin it, it turns quickly around a central point. VERBThe disc, used for small portable computers, spins 3600 times a minute.
- Brazilian Portuguese: girar
- Chinese: 转动转轉动動
- European Spanish: girar
- French: tourner
- German: sich drehen
- Italian: girare
- Japanese: 回す/回る
- Korean: 회전하다
- Portuguese: girar
- Spanish: girar
Example Sentences Including 'spin'
Anyway, Colin Powell would never have agreed to start the war to suit Labour spin doctors.Glasgow Herald (2001)
Clarisse had a way of telling you things with her own idiosyncratic twist, a sort of spin.JUST BETWEEN US (2002)
He begins every morning with a spin through his favourite Web sites.Globe and Mail (2003)
His tyres squealed and ripped up the bank as the vehicle went into a spin.HIDING FROM THE LIGHT
In recent weeks, the strip has seen Wagner's unique spin on the Highland Clearances.Glasgow Herald (2001)
Our truck would spin out on the wet earth, splattering gravel everywhere.Diamonds in the Dust
The California-based search engine likes to put a more positive spin on the phenomenon.Globe and Mail (2003)
The next time you pretend to be a movie executive, give this book a spin.Maxim (2004)
Then, on top of that, they started having a full cell spin - every cell in the block searched top to bottom.Riot
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Comments
'spin' definition based on an original suggestion by Daved Wachsman made on the 24 October 2012.
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