- 1[intransitive, transitive] to turn around and around quickly; to make something do this (+ adv./prep.) The plane was spinning out of control. a spinning ice skater My head is spinning (= I feel as if my head is going around and I can't balance). His theories on economics are enough to make your head spin (= make you feel very confused). spin (around) The dancers spun around and around. spin something (around) to spin a ball/coin/wheel We placed our bets and the croupier spun the roulette wheel.
- 2[intransitive, transitive] spin (somebody) around + adv./prep. to turn around quickly once; to make someone do this He spun around to face her. She spun on her heel and walked out.
- 3[intransitive, transitive] to make thread from wool, cotton, silk, etc. by twisting it She sat by the window spinning. spin something to spin and knit wool spin A into B spinning silk into thread spin B from A spinning thread from silk of spider/silkworm
- 4[transitive] spin something to produce thread from its body to make a web or cocoon a spider spinning a web A silkworm spins a cocoon that can yield half a mile of pure silk. drive/travel quickly
- 5[intransitive] + adv./prep. to drive or travel quickly They went spinning along the roads on their bikes. present information
- 6[transitive] spin something (as something) to present information or a situation in a particular way, especially one that makes you or your ideas seem good An aide was already spinning the senator's defeat as “almost as good as an outright win.” Idioms
verb jump to other results
NAmE//spɪn//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they spin he / she / it spins
past simple spun
-ing form spinning
to try to make someone believe a long story that is not true
to turn around suddenly so that you are facing in the opposite direction Phrasal Verbsspin offspin out
Check pronunciation: spin