spin

See also: Spin

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /spɪn/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Audio (Australia):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪn

Etymology 1

    From Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan, from Proto-Germanic *spinnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)penh₁-.

    Cognates

    Cognate with Dutch, German spinnen (“to spin”), Luxembourgish spannen (“to spin”), Yiddish שפּינען (shpinen, “spin”), Danish spinde (“to spin”), Faroese, Icelandic and Swedish spinna (“to spin”), Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk spinne (“to spin”), Gothic 𐍃𐍀𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽 (spinnan, “to spin”).

    Verb

    spin (third-person singular simple present spins, present participle spinning, simple past spun or (uncommon) span or (nonstandard) spinned, past participle spun or (nonstandard) spinned)

    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.
      • 1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, “Hiawatha’s Fasting”, in The Song of Hiawatha, Boston: Ticknor and Fields, page 76:
        Round about him spun the landscape, / Sky and forest reeled together, / And his strong heart leaped within him, / As the sturgeon leaps and struggles / In a net to break its meshes.
      • 1929, Agatha Christie, The Seven Dials Mystery:
        "Shall we spin for it?" "Might as well." "All right. Here goes. Heads you first and I second. Tails, vice versa." Bill nodded. The coin spun in the air. Jimmy bent to look at it.
      1. (aviation, of an aircraft) To enter, or remain in, a spin (abnormal stalled flight mode).
      2. (aviation, of a pilot) To cause one's aircraft to enter or remain in a spin (abnormal stalled flight mode).
    2. (transitive) To make yarn by twisting and winding fibers together.
      They spin the cotton into thread.
      • 1718, Matthew Prior, “Solomon on the Vanity of the World”, in Poems on Several Occasions, volume II, Dublin: George Grierson, published 1738, book I, page 115:
        Along the Sunny Bank, or Wat’ry Mead, / Ten thouſand Stalks their various Bloſſoms ſpread : / Peaceful and lowly in their native Soil, / They neither know to ſpin, nor care to toil ; / Yet with confeſs’d Magnificence deride / Our vile Attire, and Impotence of Pride.
      • 2026, Tom Knisley, “Exploring S- and Z-Twist”, in Spin Off, volume L, number 1, page 42:
        I started out by spinning a full bobbin of natural white cotton in the normal Z-spun direction.
    3. (figurative) To present, describe, or interpret, or to introduce a bias or slant, so as to give something a favorable or advantageous appearance.
      Synonyms: whitewash, sugarcoat, put lipstick on, gild, blandish, dress up
      • 1643, John Milton, Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce:
        But because he is but briefe, and these things of great consequence not to be kept obscure, I shall conceave it nothing above my duty either for the difficulty or the censure that may passe thereon, to communicate such thoughts as I also have had, and do offer them now in this generall labour of reformation, to the candid view both of Church and Magistrate; especially because I see it the hope of good men, that those irregular and unspirituall Courts have spun their utmost date in this Land; and some beter course must now be constituted.
      • 2006 February 9, “The Politics of Science”, in The Washington Post‎[1], Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 May 2023, page A22:
        In every administration there will be spokesmen and public affairs officers who try to spin the news to make the president look good. But this administration is trying to spin scientific data and muzzle scientists toward that end.
      • 2021 July 31, Lisa Lerer, Nicholas Fandos, “Already Distorting Jan. 6, G.O.P. Now Concocts Entire Counternarrative”, in The New York Times‎[2], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 January 2026:
        This past week […] Republicans completed their journey through the looking-glass, spinning a new counternarrative of that deadly day.
    4. (cricket, of a bowler) To make the ball move sideways when it bounces on the pitch.
      This pitch is usually preferred for spin than pace.
    5. (cricket, of a ball) To move sideways when bouncing.
      Spinning the ball gave him figures of 7-48.
    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.
      • 2024, “Clawing Out”, in Greif, performed by Zeal & Ardor, Track 6:
        I spin a thread that you can't see / A web of thoughts best left unclean
    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 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [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 doubt them with ſuperfluous courage : ha.
      • 2025 January 15, Jacob Geller, “Fear of Dark” (2:52 from the start), in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎[3]:
        And yet, we refuse to simply perceive the dark. Rather than sit within total absence our brains spin imagined stimuli out into the void. After all, how could there truly be nothing there?
    11. (computing, programming, intransitive) To wait in a loop until some condition becomes true.
    12. (motor racing, of a vehicle, intransitive) To rotate into the gravel or managing to remain on the straight as a result of bad weather.
      His car spun in the rains just after finishing lap four.
    13. (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.
    14. (cycling, intransitive)
      1. To use an exercise bicycle, especially as part of a gym class.
      2. To ride a bicycle at a fast cadence.
    15. (UK, law enforcement, slang, transitive) To search rapidly.
      • 2013, Nick Oldham, Psycho Alley:
        But then again, unless someone struck lucky in those first few hours, there weren't even enough detectives to spin a drum [house].
    16. (transitive) To draw out tediously; prolong.
      Synonym: spin out
      to spin a yarn
    17. (fishing) To fish with a swivel or spoonbait.
    18. (archaic, transitive, slang) To reject at an examination; to fail (a student).
      Synonyms: flunk, plough, pluck
    Hypernyms
    Derived terms
    Terms derived from spin (verb)
    Translations
    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked
    See also

    Noun

    spin (countable and uncountable, plural spins)

    2. Circular motion, usually rapid.
      The car went into a spin.
      The skaters demonstrated their spins.
      He put some spin on the cue ball.
    4. A state of confusion or disorientation.
      My mind was in a spin.
    6. (quantum mechanics) A quantum angular momentum associated with subatomic particles, which also creates a magnetic moment.
    8. A novel, creative variation of an existing thing or type; a twist.
      • 1991 August 10, Michael Bronski, “'I Know You Are, But What Am I?'”, in Gay Community News, volume 19, number 4, page 1:
        The media has been having a field day not only with the usual tired homophobic innuendos (which one has come to expect) but with new spins on queer bashing that might even seem inventive if they were not so hateful.
    10. (countable, uncountable, figurative) A favourable comment or interpretation intended to bias opinion on an otherwise unpleasant situation.
      Coordinate terms: coloration, distortion, propaganda
      spin doctor
      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.
      • 2022 January 26, Paul Stephen, “Network News: Government's IRP claims condemned as "dishonest"”, in RAIL, number 949, page 7:
        He added: "We've always had spin, especially from Government. But this is not spin. This is dishonesty and so it's our rail media's urgent responsibility to call it out because non-specialist journalists across the country will report this and gradually these untruths will be accepted.
      • 2025 July 9, Blake Montgomery, Nick Robins-Early, “Linda Yaccarino stepping down as CEO of Elon Musk’s X”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎[4], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
        Over the course of Yaccarino’s tenure as CEO, she frequently had to put a positive spin on public relations disasters and Musk’s belligerent behavior.
        (Can we archive this URL?)
    12. (sports) Rotation of the ball as it flies through the air; sideways movement of the ball as it bounces.
      Synonym: (informal) swazz
    14. (aviation) A condition of flight where a stalled aircraft is simultaneously pitching, yawing, and rolling in a spinning motion.
    16. (mechanical engineering) An abnormal condition in journal bearings where the bearing seizes to the rotating shaft and rotates inside the journal, destroying both the shaft and the journal.
    18. A brief trip by vehicle, especially one made for pleasure.
      I'm off out for a spin in my new sports car.
      • 1976, “One Piece at a Time”, Wayne Kemp (music), performed by Johnny Cash:
        But she opened the door and said "Honey, take me for a spin." / So we drove up town just to get the tags / And I headed her right on down main drag / I could hear everybody laughin' for blocks around / But up there at the court house they didn't laugh / 'Cause to type it up it took the whole staff / And when they got through the title weighed sixty pounds.
      • 2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 68:
        Time is running out, so I renounce a spin on a Class 387 for a fast run to Paddington on another Class 800 - a shame as the weather was perfect for pictures. Even so, it's enjoyable - boy, can those trains shift under the wires.
    20. A bundle of spun material; a mass of strands and filaments.
    22. A single play of a record; especially, one broadcast by a radio station.
      Let's give this classic LP another spin.
      • 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.
    25. (dated) An unmarried woman; a spinster.
      • 1893, Bithia Mary Croker, "To Let" in "To Let" etc., Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1906, p. 1, [5]
        Some years ago, when I was a slim young spin, I came out to India to live with my brother Tom […]
    27. (uncountable) The use of an exercise bicycle, especially as part of a gym class.
      Synonym: spinning
    Derived terms
    Terms derived from spin (noun)
    Translations
    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
    Translations to be checked

    Etymology 2

      Clipping of spinnaker.

      Noun

      spin (plural spins)

      1. (nautical) Clipping of spinnaker.
        • 2021 22 April, “jdale” (username), Course for Catastrophe, chapter 4:
          “Frank!” Joe yelled. “Run the spin halyard to the cabin-top winch and pass me the free end!”

      Etymology 3

        Clipping of special interest.

        Alternative forms

        • SpIn

        Noun

        spin (plural spins)

        2. (autism, slang) A special interest of an autistic person.
          Synonym: spinterest
          • 2024 April 15, @XxKilla_KrisxX, X‎[6] (post):
            berdly if your friends were homestuck characters who would they be. //sorry autism wants me dead, berdlys my fav character and hs is my spin. you will never heard the end of it from me

        Anagrams

        Danish

        Noun

        spin n (singular definite spinnet, plural indefinite spin)

        1. alternative form of spind

        Dutch

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /spɪn/
        • Audio:(file)
        • Hyphenation: spin
        • Rhymes: -ɪn

        Etymology 1

        From Middle Dutch spinne, an agent noun from the verb spinnen (“to spin”), referring to the webs spiders weave. An exact cognate of Old High German spinna (German Spinne); with a different suffix but from the same verb are Old Swedish spinnil (Swedish spindel) and Old English spīþra (English spider).[1]

        Noun

        spin f (plural spinnen, diminutive spinnetje n)

        1. spider (member of the order Araneae)
          Hyponyms: tangkakige, vogelspinachtige
        Derived terms

        Etymology 2

        Borrowed from English spin.

        Noun

        spin m (plural spins, no diminutive)

        1. (physics) particle spin
        Derived terms
        • kernspin

        Etymology 3

        Borrowed from English spin.

        Noun

        spin m (uncountable, no diminutive)

        1. political spin, media spin
        Derived terms

        Etymology 4

        See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

        Verb

        spin

        1. inflection of spinnen:
          1. first-person singular present indicative
          2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
          3. imperative

        References

        1. ^ van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “spin1”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute

        Faroese

        Etymology

        (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /spiːn/

        Noun

        spin n (genitive singular spins, uncountable)

        1. sperm

        Declension

        n3s singular
        indefinite definite
        nominative spin spinið
        accusative spin spinið
        dative spini spininum
        genitive spins spinsins

        Synonyms

        Anagrams

        Finnish

        Alternative forms

        Etymology

        Borrowed from English spin.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˈspin/, [ˈs̠pin]
        • Rhymes: -in
        • Syllabification(key): spin
        • Hyphenation(key): spin

        Noun

        spin

        1. (physics) spin

        Declension

        Inflection of spin (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
        nominative spin spinit
        genitive spinin spinien
        partitive spiniä spinejä
        illative spiniin spineihin
        singular plural
        nominative spin spinit
        accusative nom. spin spinit
        gen. spinin
        genitive spinin spinien
        partitive spiniä spinejä
        inessive spinissä spineissä
        elative spinistä spineistä
        illative spiniin spineihin
        adessive spinillä spineillä
        ablative spiniltä spineiltä
        allative spinille spineille
        essive spininä spineinä
        translative spiniksi spineiksi
        abessive spinittä spineittä
        instructive — spinein
        comitative See the possessive forms below.
        Possessive forms of spin (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
        first-person singular possessor
        singular plural
        nominative spinini spinini
        accusative nom. spinini spinini
        gen. spinini
        genitive spinini spinieni
        partitive spiniäni spinejäni
        inessive spinissäni spineissäni
        elative spinistäni spineistäni
        illative spiniini spineihini
        adessive spinilläni spineilläni
        ablative spiniltäni spineiltäni
        allative spinilleni spineilleni
        essive spininäni spineinäni
        translative spinikseni spineikseni
        abessive spinittäni spineittäni
        instructive — —
        comitative — spineineni
        second-person singular possessor
        singular plural
        nominative spinisi spinisi
        accusative nom. spinisi spinisi
        gen. spinisi
        genitive spinisi spiniesi
        partitive spiniäsi spinejäsi
        inessive spinissäsi spineissäsi
        elative spinistäsi spineistäsi
        illative spiniisi spineihisi
        adessive spinilläsi spineilläsi
        ablative spiniltäsi spineiltäsi
        allative spinillesi spineillesi
        essive spininäsi spineinäsi
        translative spiniksesi spineiksesi
        abessive spinittäsi spineittäsi
        instructive — —
        comitative — spineinesi
        first-person plural possessor
        singular plural
        nominative spinimme spinimme
        accusative nom. spinimme spinimme
        gen. spinimme
        genitive spinimme spiniemme
        partitive spiniämme spinejämme
        inessive spinissämme spineissämme
        elative spinistämme spineistämme
        illative spiniimme spineihimme
        adessive spinillämme spineillämme
        ablative spiniltämme spineiltämme
        allative spinillemme spineillemme
        essive spininämme spineinämme
        translative spiniksemme spineiksemme
        abessive spinittämme spineittämme
        instructive — —
        comitative — spineinemme
        second-person plural possessor
        singular plural
        nominative spininne spininne
        accusative nom. spininne spininne
        gen. spininne
        genitive spininne spinienne
        partitive spiniänne spinejänne
        inessive spinissänne spineissänne
        elative spinistänne spineistänne
        illative spiniinne spineihinne
        adessive spinillänne spineillänne
        ablative spiniltänne spineiltänne
        allative spinillenne spineillenne
        essive spininänne spineinänne
        translative spiniksenne spineiksenne
        abessive spinittänne spineittänne
        instructive — —
        comitative — spineinenne
        third-person possessor
        singular plural
        nominative spininsä spininsä
        accusative nom. spininsä spininsä
        gen. spininsä
        genitive spininsä spiniensä
        partitive spiniään
        spiniänsä         		spinejään
        spinejänsä
        inessive spinissään
        spinissänsä         		spineissään
        spineissänsä
        elative spinistään
        spinistänsä         		spineistään
        spineistänsä
        illative spiniinsä spineihinsä
        adessive spinillään
        spinillänsä         		spineillään
        spineillänsä
        ablative spiniltään
        spiniltänsä         		spineiltään
        spineiltänsä
        allative spinilleen
        spinillensä         		spineilleen
        spineillensä
        essive spininään
        spininänsä         		spineinään
        spineinänsä
        translative spinikseen
        spiniksensä         		spineikseen
        spineiksensä
        abessive spinittään
        spinittänsä         		spineittään
        spineittänsä
        instructive — —
        comitative — spineineen
        spineinensä

        Derived terms

        compounds

        French

        Etymology

          Borrowed from English spin.

          Pronunciation

          Noun

          spin m (plural spins)

          1. (physics) spin

          Derived terms

          Further reading

          Friulian

          Etymology

          From Latin spīnus.

          Noun

          spin m (plural spins)

          1. thorn bush

          Garo

          Etymology

          Cognate with Kokborok siping (“sesame”).

          Noun

          spin

          1. sesame

          Hungarian

          Etymology

          Orthographic borrowing from English spin.[1]

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): [ˈʃpin]
          • Rhymes: -in

          Noun

          spin (plural spinek)

          1. (physics) spin (quantum angular momentum)

          Declension

          Inflection (stem in -e-, front unrounded harmony)
          singular plural
          nominative spin spinek
          accusative spint spineket
          dative spinnek spineknek
          instrumental spinnel spinekkel
          causal-final spinért spinekért
          translative spinné spinekké
          terminative spinig spinekig
          essive-formal spinként spinekként
          essive-modal — —
          inessive spinben spinekben
          superessive spinen spineken
          adessive spinnél spineknél
          illative spinbe spinekbe
          sublative spinre spinekre
          allative spinhez spinekhez
          elative spinből spinekből
          delative spinről spinekről
          ablative spintől spinektől
          non-attributive
          possessive – singular           		spiné spineké
          non-attributive
          possessive – plural           		spinéi spinekéi
          Possessive forms of spin
          possessor single possession multiple possessions
          1st person sing. spinem spinjeim
          2nd person sing. spined spinjeid
          3rd person sing. spinje spinjei
          1st person plural spinünk spinjeink
          2nd person plural spinetek spinjeitek
          3rd person plural spinjük spinjeik

          References

          1. ^ István Tótfalusi (2005), Idegenszó-tár: Idegen szavak értelmező és etimológiai szótára [A Storehouse of Foreign Words: An Explanatory and Etymological Dictionary of Foreign Words], Budapest: Tinta, →ISBN

          Italian

          Etymology

          Unadapted borrowing from English spin.

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /ˈspin/
          • Rhymes: -in
          • Hyphenation: spìn

          Noun

          spin m (invariable)

          1. (physics) spin (an electron's quantum angular momentum)

          Further reading

          Middle English

          Noun

          spin

          1. alternative form of spyne

          Polish

          Pronunciation

          • IPA(key): /ˈspin/
          • Audio:(file)
          • Rhymes: -in
          • Syllabification: spin

          Etymology 1

          Etymology tree
          Middle English spinnen
          English spinbor.
          Polish spin

            Borrowed from English spin.

            Noun

            spin m inan (related adjective spinowy)

            1. (physics) spin (quantum angular momentum)
            Declension
            Declension of spin
            singular plural
            nominative spin spiny
            genitive spinu spinów
            dative spinowi spinom
            accusative spin spiny
            instrumental spinem spinami
            locative spinie spinach
            vocative spinie spiny

            Etymology 2

              See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

              Noun

              spin f

              1. genitive plural of spina (“sudden jitters”)
              2. genitive plural of spina (“augmentative of spinka”)
              3. genitive plural of spina (“spine”)

              Further reading

              • “spin”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎[7] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
              • “spin”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎[8] (in Polish)

              Portuguese

              Etymology

                Unadapted borrowing from English spin.

                Pronunciation

                • (Portugal) IPA(key): /ˈspin/, /sɨˈpi.nɨ/

                Noun

                spin m (plural spins)

                1. (physics) spin (quantum angular momentum of subatomic particles)

                Further reading

                Romanian

                Alternative forms

                Etymology

                Inherited from Latin spīnus, from spīna, from Proto-Italic *speinā, from Proto-Indo-European *spey- (“sharp point”). Compare Aromanian schin.

                Pronunciation

                • Audio:(file)

                Noun

                spin m (plural spini)

                1. thorn
                  Synonyms: ghimpe, aculeu

                Declension

                singular plural
                indefinite definite indefinite definite
                nominative-accusative spin spinul spini spinii
                genitive-dative spin spinului spini spinilor
                vocative spinule spinilor

                Scots

                Pronunciation

                • IPA(key): /spɪn/

                Noun

                spin (plural spins)

                1. (Southern Scots) alternative form of spuin

                Spanish

                Alternative forms

                Etymology

                  Unadapted borrowing from English spin.

                  Pronunciation

                  • IPA(key): /esˈpin/ [esˈpĩn]
                  • Rhymes: -in

                  Noun

                  spin m (plural spines)

                  1. (physics) spin (quantum angular momentum of subatomic particles)

                  Usage notes

                  According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

                  West Frisian

                  Etymology

                  From the verb spinne, from Old Frisian spinna, from Proto-West Germanic *spinnan, similar to Dutch spin.

                  Noun

                  spin c (plural spinnen, diminutive spintsje)

                  1. spider
                  2. spiteful, sassy, or vicious woman

                  Further reading

                  • “spin”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

                  sp

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