Definitions and meaning of spin
spin
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /spɪn/
-
-
- Rhymes: -ɪn
Etymology 1
From Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan, from Proto-Germanic *spinnaną, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)penh₁-. Compare Low German spinnen, Dutch spinnen, German spinnen, Danish spinde, Swedish spinna.
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)
- (ergative) To rotate, revolve, gyrate (usually quickly); to partially or completely rotate to face another direction.
- (aviation, of an aircraft) To enter, or remain in, a spin (abnormal stalled flight mode).
- (aviation, of a pilot) To cause one's aircraft to enter or remain in a spin (abnormal stalled flight mode).
- (transitive) To make yarn by twisting and winding fibers together.
- (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
- (cricket, of a bowler) To make the ball move sideways when it bounces on the pitch.
- (cricket, of a ball) To move sideways when bouncing.
- (cooking) To form into thin strips or ribbons, as with sugar
- 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.
- 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.
- To move swiftly.
- To stream or issue in a thread or a small current or jet.
- (computing, programming, intransitive) To wait in a loop until some condition becomes true.
- (transitive, informal) To play (vinyl records, etc.) as a disc jockey.
- (cycling, intransitive)
- To use an exercise bicycle, especially as part of a gym class.
- To ride a bicycle at a fast cadence.
- (UK, law enforcement, slang, transitive) To search rapidly.
- (transitive) To draw out tediously; prolong.
- Synonym: spin out
- (fishing) To fish with a swivel or spoonbait.
- (archaic, transitive, slang) To reject at an examination; to fail (a student).
Hypernyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
See also
Noun
spin (countable and uncountable, plural spins)
- Rapid circular motion.
- The car went into a spin.
- The skaters demonstrated their spins.
- He put some spin on the cue ball.
- A state of confusion or disorientation.
- (quantum mechanics) A quantum angular momentum associated with subatomic particles, which also creates a magnetic moment.
- A novel, creative variation of an existing thing or type; a twist.
- (sports) Rotation of the ball as it flies through the air; sideways movement of the ball as it bounces.
- Synonym: (informal) swazz
- (aviation) A condition of flight where a stalled aircraft is simultaneously pitching, yawing, and rolling in a spinning motion.
- (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.
- A brief trip by vehicle, especially one made for pleasure.
- A bundle of spun material; a mass of strands and filaments.
- A single play of a record; especially, one broadcast by a radio station.
- (UK, prison slang) A search of a prisoner's cell for forbidden articles.
- (dated) An unmarried woman; a spinster.
- 1893, Bithia Mary Croker, "To Let" in "To Let" etc., Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1906, p. 1, [4]
- Some years ago, when I was a slim young spin, I came out to India to live with my brother Tom […]
- (uncountable) The use of an exercise bicycle, especially as part of a gym class.
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 2
Noun
spin (plural spins)
- (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
Noun
spin (plural spins)
- (autism, slang) A special interest of an autistic person.
- Synonym: spinterest
Anagrams
- NPIs, snip, nips, Nips, Insp, NIPs, PINs, PINS, PSNI, pins, INPs
Danish
Noun
spin n (singular definite spinnet, plural indefinite spin)
- alternative form of spind
Dutch
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /spɪn/
-
- Hyphenation: spin
- Rhymes: -ɪn
Etymology 1
From Middle Dutch spinne.
Noun
spin f (plural spinnen, diminutive spinnetje n)
- spider, member of the order Araneae
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Borrowed from English spin.
Noun
spin m (plural spins)
- (physics) particle spin
Derived terms
Etymology 3
Borrowed from English spin.
Noun
spin m (uncountable)
- political spin, media spin
Derived terms
Etymology 4
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
spin
- inflection of spinnen:
- first-person singular present indicative
- (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
- imperative
Faroese
Etymology
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
Noun
spin n (genitive singular spins, uncountable)
- sperm
Declension
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
- (physics) spin
Declension
Derived terms
French
Etymology
Borrowed from English spin.
Pronunciation
Noun
spin m (plural spins)
- (physics) spin
Derived terms
Further reading
- “spin”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Friulian
Etymology
From Latin spīnus.
Noun
spin m (plural spins)
- thorn bush
Related terms
Garo
Etymology
Cognate with Kokborok siping (“sesame”).
Noun
spin
- sesame
Hungarian
Etymology
From English spin.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈʃpin]
- Rhymes: -in
Noun
spin (plural spinek)
- (physics) spin (quantum angular momentum)
Declension
References
Italian
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English spin.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈspin/
- Rhymes: -in
- Hyphenation: spìn
Noun
spin m (invariable)
- (physics) spin (an electron's quantum angular momentum)
Further reading
- spin on the Italian Wikipedia.Wikipedia it
Middle English
Noun
spin
- alternative form of spyne
Polish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈspin/
-
- Rhymes: -in
- Syllabification: spin
Etymology 1
Borrowed from English spin, from Middle English spinnen, from Old English spinnan.
Noun
spin m inan
- (physics) spin (quantum angular momentum)
Declension
Derived terms
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Noun
spin f
- genitive plural of spina
Further reading
- spin in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
- spin in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Portuguese
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from English spin.
Pronunciation
Noun
spin m (plural spins)
- (physics) spin (quantum angular momentum of subatomic particles)
Romanian
Etymology
Inherited from Latin spīnus, from spīna, from Proto-Italic *speinā, from Proto-Indo-European *spey- (“sharp point”). Compare Aromanian schin.
Pronunciation
Noun
spin m (plural spini)
- thorn
- Synonyms: ghimpe, aculeu
Declension
Related terms
Scots
Pronunciation
Noun
spin (plural spins)
- (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)
- (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)
- spider
- spiteful, sassy, or vicious woman
Further reading
- “spin”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011
sp
Source: wiktionary.org