■ verb ( ~s , ~ning , spun )
1》 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.
2》 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.
3》 ( ~ something out ) make something last as long as possible.
4》 ( ~ out ) N. Amer. (of a driver or car) lose control in a skid.
5》 ( ~ something off ) (of a parent company) turn a subsidiary into a new and separate company.
6》 informal give (a news story) a particular emphasis or bias.
7》 fish with a ~ner.
■ noun
1》 a ~ning motion.
↘a fast revolving motion of an aircraft as it descends rapidly.
↘ Physics the intrinsic angular momentum of a subatomic particle.
2》 informal a brief trip in a vehicle for pleasure.
3》 the presentation of information in a particular way, especially a favourable one.
4》 Austral./NZ informal a piece of good or bad luck.
Phrases
flat ~
1》 a ~ in which an aircraft descends in tight circles while remaining horizontal.
2》 Brit. informal a state of agitation.
~ one's wheels N. Amer. informal waste one's time or efforts.
~ a yarn tell a long, far-fetched story.
Origin
OE ~nan 'draw out and twist (fibre)'.