/ spɪn; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
( spin·ning , spun , spun / spʌn; NAmE /)
TURN ROUND QUICKLY
1.
spin (sth) (round / around) to turn round and round quickly; to make sth do this :
[ v ]
The plane was spinning out of control.
a spinning ice skater
My head is spinning (= I feel as if my head is going around and I can't balance) .
[ vn ]
to spin a ball / coin / wheel
2.
spin (round / around) to turn round quickly once; to make sb do this :
[ v ]
He spun around to face her.
[also vn ]
MAKE THREAD
3.
spin (A into B) | spin (B from A) to make thread from wool, cotton, silk, etc. by twisting it :
[ v ]
She sat by the window spinning.
[ vn ]
to spin and knit wool
spinning silk into thread
OF SPIDER / SILKWORM
4.
[ vn ] to produce thread from its body to make a web or cocoon :
a spider spinning a web
DRIVE / TRAVEL QUICKLY
5.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to drive or travel quickly :
They went spinning along the roads on their bikes.
DRY CLOTHES
6.
[ vn ] to remove the water from clothes that have just been washed, in a spin dryer
PRESENT INFORMATION
7.
[ vn ] to present information or a situation in a particular way, especially one that makes you or your ideas seem good :
An aide was already spinning the senator's defeat as 'almost as good as an outright win'.
•
IDIOMS
- spin (sb) a yarn, tale, etc.
—more at heel noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- spin off (from sth) | spin sth off (from sth)
- spin sth off
- spin sth out
■ noun
FAST TURNING MOVEMENT
1.
[ C , U ] a very fast turning movement :
the earth's spin
the spin of a wheel
Give the washing a short spin.
2.
[ C , usually sing. ] if an aircraft goes into a spin , it falls and turns round rapidly
IN CAR
3.
[ C ] ( informal , becoming old-fashioned ) a short ride in a car for pleasure :
Let's go for a spin .
IN TENNIS / CRICKET
4.
[ U ] the way you make a ball turn very fast when you throw it or hit it :
She puts a lot of spin on the ball.
a spin bowler (= in cricket , a bowler who uses spin)
—see also topspin
ON INFORMATION
5.
[ sing. , U ] ( informal ) a way of presenting information or a situation in a particular way, especially one that makes you or your ideas seem good :
Politicians put their own spin on the economic situation.
•
IDIOMS
- in a (flat) spin
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English spinnan draw out and twist (fibre) ; related to German spinnen . The noun dates from the mid 19th cent.