spin

American  

[spin] / spɪn /

verb (used with object)

spun, span, spun, spinning

1. to make (yarn) by drawing out, twisting, and winding fibers.

   Pioneer women spun yarn on spinning wheels.

2. to form (the fibers of any material) into thread or yarn.

   The machine spins nylon thread.

3. (of spiders, silkworms, etc.) to produce (a thread, cobweb, gossamer, silk, etc.) by extruding from the body a long, slender filament of a natural viscous matter that hardens in the air.

4. to cause to turn around rapidly, as on an axis; twirl; whirl.

   to spin a coin on a table.

5. Informal. to play (phonograph records).

   a job spinning records on a radio show.

6. Metalworking. to shape (sheet metal) into a hollow, rounded form by pressure from a tool while rotating the metal on a lathe or wheel.

7. to produce, fabricate, or evolve in a manner suggestive of spinning thread.

   to spin a tale of sailing ships and bygone days.

   Synonyms:

   relate, narrate, develop

8. Rocketry. to cause intentionally (a rocket or guided missile) to undergo a roll.

9. to draw out, protract, or prolong (often followed byout ).

   He spun the project out for over three years.

   Synonyms:

   lengthen, extend

10. British. to flunk a student in an examination or a term's work.

11. Slang. to cause to have a particular bias; influence in a certain direction.

    His assignment was to spin the reporters after the president's speech.

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verb (used without object)

spun, span, spun, spinning

1. to revolve or rotate rapidly, as the earth or a top.

   Synonyms:

   gyrate

2. to produce a thread from the body, as spiders or silkworms.

3. to produce yarn or thread by spinning.

4. to move, go, run, ride, or travel rapidly.

5. to have a sensation of whirling; reel.

   My head began to spin and I fainted.

6. to fish with a spinning or revolving bait.

noun

1. the act of causing a spinning or whirling motion.

2. a spinning motion given to a ball, wheel, axle, or other object.

3. a downward movement or trend, especially one that is sudden, alarming, etc..

   Steel prices went into a spin.

4. a rapid run, ride, drive, or the like, as for exercise or enjoyment.

   They went for a spin in the car.

5. Slang. a particular viewpoint or bias, especially in the media; slant.

   They tried to put a favorable spin on the news coverage of the controversial speech.

6. Also called tail spin.  Also called tailspin.  Aeronautics. a maneuver in which an airplane descends in a vertical direction along a helical path of large pitch and small radius at an angle of attack greater than the critical angle, dangerous when not done intentionally or under control.

7. Rocketry.

   1. the act of intentionally causing a rocket or guided missile to undergo a roll.

   2. a roll so caused.

8. Also called spin angular momentum.  Physics. the intrinsic angular momentum characterizing each kind of elementary particle, having one of the values 0, 1/2, 1/3, … when measured in units of Planck's constant divided by 2π.

9. Australian. a run of luck; fate.

verb phrase

1. spin off

   1. to create something new, as a company or assets, without detracting from or affecting the relative size or stability of the original.

      After the acquisition, the company was required to spin off about a third of its assets.

   2. to derive from or base on something done previously.

      They took the character of the maid and spun off another TV series.

idioms

1. spin one's wheels. wheel.

2. spin out, (of an automobile) to undergo a spinout.

spin British  

/ spɪn /

verb

1. to rotate or cause to rotate rapidly, as on an axis

2. 1. to draw out and twist (natural fibres, as of silk or cotton) into a long continuous thread

   2. to make such a thread or filament from (synthetic resins, etc), usually by forcing through a nozzle

3. (of spiders, silkworms, etc) to form (webs, cocoons, etc) from a silky fibre exuded from the body

4. (tr) to shape (metal) into a rounded form on a lathe

5. informal (tr) to tell (a tale, story, etc) by drawing it out at great length (esp in the phrase spin a yarn )

6. 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

7. (intr) (of wheels) to revolve rapidly without causing propulsion

8. to cause (an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent or (of an aircraft) to dive in a spiral descent

9. to drive or travel swiftly

10. Also: spin-dry.  (tr) to rotate (clothes) in a washing machine in order to extract surplus water

11. (intr) to reel or grow dizzy, as from turning around

    my head is spinning

12. (intr) to fish by drawing a revolving lure through the water

13. informal (intr) to present news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression

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noun

1. a swift rotating motion; instance of spinning

2. physics

   1. the intrinsic angular momentum of an elementary particle or atomic nucleus, as distinguished from any angular momentum resulting from its motion

   2.  S.   s.  a quantum number determining values of this angular momentum in units of the Dirac constant, having integral or half-integral values

3. 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

4. a spinning motion imparted to a ball, etc

5. (in skating) any of various movements involving spinning rapidly on the spot

6. informal a short or fast drive, ride, etc, esp in a car, for pleasure

7. informal a state of agitation or confusion

8. informal a period of time or an experience; chance or luck; fortune

   a bad spin

9. informal commerce a sudden downward trend in prices, values, etc

10. informal the practice of presenting news or information in a way that creates a favourable impression

11. informal one after another

    they have lost two finals on the spin

spin Scientific  

/ spĭn /

1. The intrinsic angular momentum of a rigid body or particle, especially a subatomic particle.

2. Also called spin angular momentum

3. The total angular momentum of a physical system, such as an electron orbital or an atomic nucleus.

4. A quantum number expressing spin angular momentum; the actual angular momentum is a quantum number multiplied by Dirac's constant. Fermions have spin values that are integer multiples of 1/2, while bosons have spin values that are integer multiples of 1.

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spin More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing spin

• go into a tailspin
• make one's head spin
• put a spin on

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Related Words

See turn.

Other Word Forms

• outspin verb (used with object)
• spinnability noun
• spinnable adjective
• unspinnable adjective

Etymology

Origin of spin

First recorded before 900; Middle English spinnen “to spin yarn,” Old English spinnan; cognate with Dutch, German spinnen, Old Norse spinna, Gothic spinnan

Example Sentences

“No way for Tesla to spin this as a positive result with oil price up…and an easy compare versus last year’s first-quarter Model Y…transition,” said Future Fund co-founder Gary Black.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

But a new “Faces of Death” puts a decidedly contemporary spin on the story while keeping its volatile sense of disorientation and danger.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

The beams heat the plasma and spin it to create a stable magnetic field.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Gulf, has cut off roughly 20% of world oil supplies and sent global financial markets into a spin.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

Surely the king would want Opal to spin more.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• reel
• revolve
• rotate
• spiral
• swim
• turn
• twirl
• twist
• whirl