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spinningmore about spinning

spinning

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Spin  \Spin\,  v.  t.  [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  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  spinning 
  adj  :  rotating  rapidly  about  an  axis;  "a  spinning  top";  "the 
  whirling  dance  of  the  Dervish"  [syn:  {whirling}] 
  n  :  creating  thread




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