From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Spinning \Spin"ning\, a. & n. from {Spin}.
{Spinning gland} (Zo["o]l.), one of the glands which form the material for spinning the silk of silkworms and other larv[ae].
{Spinning house}, formerly a common name for a house of correction in England, the women confined therein being employed in spinning.
{Spinning jenny} (Mach.), an engine or machine for spinning wool or cotton, by means of a large number of spindles revolving simultaneously.
{Spinning mite} (Zo["o]l.), the red spider.
{Spinning wheel}, a machine for spinning yarn or thread, in which a wheel drives a single spindle, and is itself driven by the hand, or by the foot acting on a treadle.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Spin \Spin\ (sp[i^]n), verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Spun}(Archaic imp. {Span}); p. pr. & vb. n. {Spinning}.] [AS. spinnan; akin to D. & G. spinnen, Icel. & Sw. spinna, Dan. spinde, Goth. spinnan, and probably to E. span. [root]170. Cf. {Span}, v. t., {Spider}.]
1. To draw out, and twist into threads, either by the hand or machinery; as, to spin wool, cotton, or flax; to spin goat's hair; to produce by drawing out and twisting a fibrous material.
All the yarn she [Penelope] spun in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. --Shak.
2. To draw out tediously; to form by a slow process, or by degrees; to extend to a great length; -- with out; as, to spin out large volumes on a subject.
Do you mean that story is tediously spun out? --Sheridan.
3. To protract; to spend by delays; as, to spin out the day in idleness.
By one delay after another they spin out their whole lives. --L'Estrange.
4. To cause to turn round rapidly; to whirl; to twirl; as, to spin a top.
5. To form (a web, a cocoon, silk, or the like) 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.
6. (Mech.) 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 spin a yarn} (Naut.), to tell a story, esp. a long or fabulous tale.
{To spin hay} (Mil.), to twist it into ropes for convenient carriage on an expedition.
{To spin street yarn}, to gad about gossiping. [Collog.]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: a swift whirling motion (usually of a missile)
2: the act of rotating rapidly; "he gave the crank a spin"; "it broke off after much twisting" [syn: {twirl}, {twist}, {twisting}, {whirl}]
3: a short drive in a car; "he took the new car for a spin"
4: rapid descent of an aircraft in a steep spiral [syn: {tailspin}]
5: a distinctive interpretation (especially as used by politicians to sway public opinion); "the campaign put a favorable spin on the story"
verb
1: revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis; "The dervishes whirl around and around without getting dizzy" [syn: {spin around}, {whirl}, {reel}, {gyrate}]
2: stream in jets, of liquids; "The creek spun its course through the woods"
3: cause to spin; "spin a coin" [syn: {whirl}, {birl}, {twirl}]
4: make up a story; "spin a yarn"
5: form a web by making a thread; "spiders spin a fine web"
6: work natural fibers into a thread; "spin silk"
7: twist and turn so as to give an intended interpretation; "The President's spokesmen had to spin the story to make it less embarrasing"
8: prolong or extend; "spin out a visit" [syn: {spin out}] [also: {spun}, {spinning}]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
adjective
1: rotating rapidly about an axis; "a spinning top"; "the whirling dance of the Dervish" [syn: {whirling}]
noun
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
35 Moby Thesaurus words for "spinning": angular momentum, angular motion, angular velocity, axial motion, bowling, centrifugation, circulation, circumgyration, circumrotation, full circle, gyrating, gyration, pivoting, reeling, revolution, revolving, roll, rolling, rotating, rotation, rotational motion, spin, swinging, swirling, swiveling, trolling, trundling, turbination, turning, twirling, volutation, volution, wheeling, whir, whirling
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