spin
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to turn around and around very quickly.
v.to rotate or cause to rotate rapidly around an axis.
Simple“The ice skater started to spin faster and faster until she was just a blur.”
In context“The turbine began to spin at several thousand revolutions per minute, generating enough power for the entire facility.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to twist fibers like wool or cotton together to make thread.
v.to draw out and twist fibers into yarn or thread.
Simple“In the old days, people used a wooden wheel to spin wool into yarn.”
In context“The artisan demonstrated how to spin raw silk into delicate threads using traditional methods passed down through generations.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
v.to describe a situation in a way that makes it sound better than it really is.
v.to present or interpret information with a particular bias to influence public opinion.
Simple“The company tried to spin the bad news as a chance for a fresh start.”
In context“Political consultants worked through the night to spin the candidate's controversial remarks before the morning papers were printed.”
Teacher's tipOften used in the context of 'spin doctors' in politics or public relations.
- 04 A2 Elementary
- 05 B1 Intermediate
n.a short, quick journey in a car or on a bike for fun.
n.a brief excursion in a vehicle, typically for pleasure rather than utility.
Simple“It is a beautiful day, so let's go for a spin in your new car.”
In context“After restoring the vintage motorcycle, he took it for a quick spin around the countryside to test the engine.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrase 'go for a spin'.
- 06 C1 Advanced
n.a way of telling a story that influences what people think.
n.a particular bias or slant placed on information to manipulate its perception.
Simple“The reporter put a positive spin on the team's loss by focusing on their hard work.”
In context“The government's spin on the economic data failed to convince the public that prices were actually falling.”
- 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a new or different way of doing something that already exists.
n.a novel or creative variation of an existing concept or item.
Simple“The chef created a modern spin on the traditional apple pie.”
In context“The director's latest film offers a dark, psychological spin on the classic fairy tale.”
- 08 C2 Proficiency
n.a dangerous situation where a plane falls while turning in circles.
n.a flight condition involving a stall resulting in a simultaneous roll, pitch, and yaw.
Simple“The pilot managed to recover the plane from a dangerous spin just in time.”
In context“During the aerobatic display, the pilot intentionally entered a flat spin to demonstrate the aircraft's recovery capabilities.”
“As of Friday, the spacecraft had cut its spin rate in half, from about 9 degrees per second to approximately 4 degrees per second.”
“In some cases, the rising air becomes so strong that it begins to spin, forming a fire whirl , also known as a fire tornado.”
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”).
Clipping of special interest.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.