English
spin
Pronunciation Verb

spin (spins, present participle spinning; past spun, past participle spun)

  1. (ergative) To rotate, revolve, gyrate (usually quickly); to partially or completely rotate to face another direction.
    I spun myself around a few times.
    Spin the ball on the floor.
    She spun around and gave him a big smile.
  2. (transitive) To make yarn by twisting and winding fibers together.
    They spin the cotton into thread.
  3. To present, describe, or interpret, or to introduce a bias or slant, so as to give something a favorable or advantageous appearance.
  4. (cricket, of a bowler) To make the ball move sideways when it bounces on the pitch.
  5. (cricket, of a ball) To move sideways when bouncing.
  6. (cooking) To form into thin strips or ribbons, as with sugar
  7. To form (a web, a cocoon, silk, etc.) from threads produced by the extrusion of a viscid, transparent liquid, which hardens on coming into contact with the air; said of the spider, the silkworm, etc.
  8. To shape, as malleable sheet metal, into a hollow form, by bending or buckling it by pressing against it with a smooth hand tool or roller while the metal revolves, as in a lathe.
  9. To move swiftly.
    to spin along the road in a carriage, on a bicycle, etc.
  10. To stream or issue in a thread or a small current or jet.
    Blood spins from a vein.
    • 1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene ii], page 86 ↗, column 1:
      Mount them, and make inciſion in their Hides, / That their hot blood may ſpin in Engliſh eyes, / And dout#English|doubt them with ſuperfluous courage : ha.
  11. (computing, programming, intransitive) To wait in a loop until some condition becomes true.
  12. (transitive, informal) To play (vinyl records, etc.) as a disc jockey.
    • 2002, CMJ New Music Report (volume 70, number 12)
      However, for the past six years he has been spinning his novel blend of progressive house and trance music and is finally on the brink of becoming the next luminary DJ.
  13. (intransitive) To use an exercise bicycle, especially as part of a gym class.
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  • Portuguese: pinotar
Translations Translations Noun

spin

  1. Rapid circular motion.
    The car went into a spin.
    The skaters demonstrated their spins.
    He put some spin on the cue ball.
  2. (physics) A quantum angular momentum associated with subatomic particles, which also creates a magnetic moment.
  3. (countable, uncountable) A favourable comment or interpretation intended to bias opinion on an otherwise unpleasant situation.
    Try to put a positive spin on the disappointing sales figures.
    The politician was mocked in the press for his reliance on spin rather than facts.
    Synonyms: propaganda
  4. (sports) Rotation of the ball as it flies through the air; sideways movement of the ball as it bounces.
  5. A condition of flight where a stalled aircraft is simultaneously pitching, yawing and rolling in a spinning motion.
  6. A brief trip by vehicle, especially one made for pleasure.
    I'm off out for a spin in my new sports car.
  7. A bundle of spun material; a mass of strands and filaments.
    • 1913, DH Lawrence, Sons and Lovers, chapter 1
      She left him alone, and went to get Annie a spin of toffee.
  8. A single play of a record by a radio station.
    • 1996, Billboard (volume 108, number 12, page 37)
      Although the Loveless title showed the smallest increase in airplay in the top 10, its number of detections outpaced the nearest bulleted title by more than 350 spins.
  9. (UK, prison slang) A search of a prisoner's cell for forbidden articles.
    • 2002, Jeffrey Archer, A Prison Diary
      Mr Weedon explains that this is a cell search - known by prisoners as a spin - and for obvious reasons it has to be carried out without any warning.
  10. (dated) Unmarried woman, spinster.
    • 1893, Bithia Mary Croker, "To Let" in "To Let" etc., Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1906, p. 1,
      Some years ago, when I was a slim young spin, I came out to India to live with my brother Tom […]
  11. (uncountable) The use of an exercise bicycle, especially as part of a gym class.
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