spinning
Americannoun
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Textiles.
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the act or process of converting staple or short lengths of fiber, as cotton or rayon, into continuous yarn or thread.
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the extrusion of a solution of fiber-forming substances through holes in a spinneret to form filaments.
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Entomology. the act or process of secreting and placing silk or silklike filaments, as in the construction of a web by a spider or the formation of a cocoon by a caterpillar.
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Also called spin casting, spin fishing, thread-line fishing. Angling. the act or technique of casting a relatively light lure attached to a threadlike line wound on a stationary spool.
noun
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the act or process of spinning
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( as modifier )
spinning yarn
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the act or technique of casting and drawing a revolving lure through the water so as to imitate the movement of a live fish, etc
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spinning
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at spin, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Spinning heads aside, the influence of the body-horror aspects of William Friedkin’s 1973 film can be found in much of what Ms. Davies includes in her survey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
Spinning discs around baby stars do the same: they make spiral structures because of gravity.
From Space Scoop • Oct. 24, 2025
They have also worked together multiple times, first collaborating on Charli's song Spinning and then on Brat, with Daniel named as co-producer and co-writer of two songs.
From BBC • Jul. 19, 2025
Spinning electronic fibres results in devices that are imperceptible to the user, but without a high degree of sensitivity or sophistication, and they're difficult to transfer onto the object in question.
From Science Daily • May 24, 2024
Spinning around toward the rest of us, he carried a surprised look.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.