yarn

[yahrn]

noun

1. thread made of natural or synthetic fibers and used for knitting and weaving.

2. a continuous strand or thread made from glass, metal, plastic, etc.

3. the thread, in the form of a loosely twisted aggregate of fibers, as of hemp, of which rope is made rope yarn.

4. a tale, especially a long story of adventure or incredible happenings.

   He spun a yarn that outdid any I had ever heard.

verb (used without object)

1. Informal.,  to spin a yarn; tell stories.

yarn

/ jɑːn /

noun

1. a continuous twisted strand of natural or synthetic fibres, used in weaving, knitting, etc

2. informal,  a long and often involved story or account, usually telling of incredible or fantastic events

3. informal

   1. to tell such a story

   2. to make up or relate a series of excuses

verb

1. (intr) to tell such a story or stories

Word History and Origins

Origin of yarn¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English gearn; cognate with German Garn; akin to Old Norse gǫrn gut, Greek chordḗ intestine, chord ¹, Lithuanian žarnà entrails, Latin hernia a rupture, Sanskrit hirā vein

Word History and Origins

Origin of yarn¹

Old English gearn; related to Old High German garn yarn, Old Norse görn gut, Greek khordē string, gut

Idioms and Phrases

see spin a yarn.

Example Sentences

Sarah is an avid crafts enthusiast, with an abundance of yarn, beads and other art materials in her home.

From BBC

The web of their lives “is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together,” to filch from Shakespeare, and Venable combines virtues and vices in unexpected patterns.

From Los Angeles Times

Then again, you certainly don’t have to be a deeply invested cinephile to fall hard for this yarn, because the performances and visuals are captivating in themselves.

From Salon

One widely shared video shows a woman spinning yarn on a traditional hand spindle as a Kashmiri folk song plays in the background.

From BBC

“It can be difficult for us old-timers to see all the changes,” said Gosen, who spins goat fiber into yarn outside her soap shop on Mane Street most weekends.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fleece 
• thread 
• wool