definitions

spin a yarn

Tell a story, especially a long drawn-out or totally fanciful one, as in This author really knows how to spin a yarn, or Whenever he's late he spins some yarn about a crisis. Originally a nautical term dating from about 1800, this expression probably owes its life to the fact that it embodies a double meaning, yarn signifying both “spun fiber” and “a tale.”

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Zoom Through “Spin Class” With These 10 Cycling TermsCycling no doubt courses throughout our life and culture, but so does the language of the sport and activity. So, strap on your helmets: we're going to spin through some of the zippiest terms in cycling, past and present.
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RELATED WORDS

disclose, reveal, describe, detail, present, recite, picture, express, rehearse, sling, spill, particularize, itemize, recount, divulge, verbalize, track, state, depict, impart

Nearby words

spillway, spilt, spilth, spim, spin, spin a yarn, spin angular momentum, spin bowler, spin casting, spin control, spin doctor
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.