[f. the vb.]
1. An act or spell of spinning; also techn., capacity for being twisted or spun; the product resulting from spinning.
1853. Househ. Words, VII. 131/1. The apparatus for testing what is termed the ‘spin’ of the silk;—its capability of being twisted round with great velocity without … being damaged.
1884. W. S. B. McLaren, Spinning (ed. 2), 62. As it is to be spun into worsted,… the longer the fibres remain the better will be the spin.
2. An act or spell of revolving or whirling round; a circular or rotatory movement.
1831. Moore, Summer Fête, Poet. Wks. (Oxf. ed.), 275/2. Teetotums we’ve for patriots got,… A glorious spin, and then—a tumble.
1864. Dasent, Jest & Earnest (1873), I. 194. The circular motion imparted to the new matter by the original twist or spin which the sun gave to the mass.
1878. W. K. Clifford, Dynamic, 133. Hence every twist may be resolved into two spins, the axis of one of which is any arbitrary straight line.
attrib. 1882. Minchin, Unipl. Kinemat., 260. θ is what we have called the expansion, while ω is the spin-vector at P.
b. A head-over-heels movement; a somersault.
1842. S. Lover, Handy Andy, i. 5. Surprising was the spin the young equestrians took over the ears of the horse.
c. Cricket. A twisting motion given to the ball when bowled or thrown.
Also in combs. off-, over-, side, underspin.
1862. Pycroft, Cricket Tutor, 34. When there is no spin upon the ball, a batsman will risk a kind of guess-bit.
1884. Lillywhite’s Cricket Ann., 25. Not able to get quite the same amount of spin on the ball.
3. The act of causing something to spin.
1840. P. Parley’s Ann., I. 85. Peter … changed tops with Thorp; and after having a few spins, ran home.
1856. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Rural Sports, 254/1. It is obvious that for this purpose a long rod is required to command a greater extent of water, and a more numerous series of spins.
b. The act of tossing a coin in the air as a means of deciding something.
1882. Daily Tel., 27 May, 3/7. The Oxonians being fortunate in the spin of the coin, went first to the wickets.
4. A spell of continuous movement by way of exercise or pastime; a fairly rapid ride or run of some duration.
1856. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Rur. Sports, 336/2. Shorter spins of three-quarters of a mile … will be adopted as often as the trainer sees fit.
1884. Boston (Mass.) Jrnl., 15 Sept. The bicyclist now … takes long spins from one end of the State to the other.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 319. He … was in much the same bodily … condition as if he had taken a ten-mile spin with a greatcoat on.
b. A spell of quick rowing or sailing.
1875. F. I. Scudamore, Day Dreams, 14. [They] would willingly have hired a boat for the purpose of having a spin with the Frenchmen.
1895. Times (weekly ed.), 30 Aug., 683/1. The Valkyrie went out for another spin on Wednesday.
5. Rapid or lively movement.
1891. G. Meredith, One of our Conq., xix. Like the men who escape colds by wrapping in comforters instead of trusting to the spin of the blood.
