spin

¹spin

verb \ˈspin\

spun \ˈspən\ spin·ning

Definition of SPIN

intransitive verb

1

: to draw out and twist fiber into yarn or thread

2

: to form a thread by extruding a viscous rapidly hardening fluid —used especially of a spider or insect

3

a : to revolve rapidly : gyrate

b : to feel as if in a whirl : reel <my head is spinning>

4

: to move swiftly especially on or as if on wheels or in a vehicle

5

: to fish with spinning bait : troll

6

a of an airplane : to fall in a spin

b : to plunge helplessly and out of control

7

: to engage in spin control (as in politics)

transitive verb

1

a : to draw out and twist into yarns or threads

b : to produce by drawing out and twisting a fibrous material

2

: to form (as a web or cocoon) by spinning

3

a : to stretch out or extend (as a story) lengthily : protract —usually used with out

b : to evolve, express, or fabricate by processes of mind or imagination <spin a yarn>

4

: to cause to whirl : impart spin to <spin a top>

5

: to shape into threadlike form in manufacture; also : to manufacture by a whirling process

6

: to set (records or compact discs) rotating on a player : play <spin some discs>

7

: to present (as information) with a particular spin <spin the statistics>

— spin one's wheels

: to make futile efforts to achieve progress

Examples of SPIN

1. The car hit a patch of ice and spun into the wall.
2. The children were spinning a top.
3. I tried to stand up but the room was spinning.
4. She spun the silk into thread.
5. They spun the wool into yarn.

Origin of SPIN

Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan; akin to Old High German spinnan to spin and perhaps to Lithuanian spęsti to set (a trap)

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to SPIN

Synonyms

gyrate, pinwheel, pirouette, revolve, roll, rotate, turn, twirl, wheel, whirl

Related Words

coil, curl, curve, round, spiral, swirl, twine, twist, wind; circle, circulate, encircle, orbit, ring; pivot, swivel

Near Antonyms

calm, collect; settle, steady

Rhymes with SPIN

bin, blin, chin, din, fin, Finn, Fyn, gin, grin, Gwyn, hin, in, inn, kin, linn, Lynn, pin, shin, Shin, sin, skin, thin, tin, twin, whin, win, wynn, yin, zin

²spin

noun

Definition of SPIN

1

a : the act of spinning or twirling something; also : an instance of spinning or of spinning something <doing axels and spins> <an assortment of spins and lobs>

b : the whirling motion imparted (as to a ball or top) by spinning

c : an excursion or ride in a vehicle especially on wheels <go for a spin>

2

a : an aerial maneuver or flight condition consisting of a combination of roll and yaw with the longitudinal axis of the airplane inclined steeply downward

b : a plunging descent or downward spiral

c : a state of mental confusion <all in a spin>

3

a : a quantum characteristic of an elementary particle that is visualized as the rotation of the particle on its axis and that is responsible for measurable angular momentum and magnetic moment

b : the angular momentum associated with such rotation whose magnitude is quantized and which may assume either of two possible directions; also : the angular momentum of a system of such particles derived from the spins and orbital motions of the particles

4

a : a usually ingenious twist <puts an Asian spin on the pasta dishes>

b (1) : a special point of view, emphasis, or interpretation presented for the purpose of influencing opinion <put the most favorable spin on the findings> (2) : spin control

— spin·less \ˈspin-ləs\ adjective

Examples of SPIN

1. the direction of the Earth's spin
2. The ice-skater executed graceful jumps and spins.
3. A baseball thrown with spin is harder to hit.
4. She put spin on the ball.
5. The bowler put a sideways spin on the ball.
6. Each author puts a new spin on the story.
7. They claim to report the news with no spin.
8. He took me for a spin in his new car.
9. Would you like to go for a spin?

First Known Use of SPIN

1831

Related to SPIN

Synonyms

gyration, pirouette, reel, revolution, roll, rotation, twirl, wheel, whirl

Related Words

circuit, circulation, ring, round; coil, curl, curve, spiral, twist, whorl; circle, orbit; eddy, swirl

Near Antonyms

alertness, levelheadedness

Other Aeronautics/Aerospace Terms

airway, apron, corridor, dirigible, fishtail, flat-hat, vector

spin

noun \ˈspin\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of SPIN

1

: a quantum characteristic of an elementary particle that is visualized as the rotation of the particle on its axis and that is responsible for measurable angular momentum and magnetic moment

2

: the angular momentum which is associated with spin, whose magnitude is quantized, and which may assume either of two possible directions; also : the angular momentum of a system of elementary particles derived from their spins and orbital motions—see spin echo, spin label

spin

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Amount of angular momentum associated with a subatomic particle or nucleus. It is measured in multiples of {Planck constant} (h-bar), equal to Planck's constant divided by 2. Electrons, neutrons, and protons have a spin of , for example, while pions and helium nuclei have zero spin. The spin of a complex nucleus is the vector sum of the orbital angular momentum and intrinsic spins of the constituent nucleons. For nuclei of even mass number, the multiple is an integral; for those of odd mass number, it is a half-integer. See also Bose-Einstein statistics, Fermi-Dirac statistics.