subs. (colloquial).—A brisk run, a smart canter, a spurt. As verb. = to go quickly: usually TO SPIN ALONG.
1854. W. COLLINS, Hide and Seek, ii. 4. While it [money] lasts, make it SPIN.
1883. S. LANIER, The English Novel, i. 3. The thief can send a telgram to his pal as easily as the sick man to his doctor, and the locomotive SPINS ALONG no less merrily because ten car-loads of rascals may be profiting by its speed.
1884. The Field, 6 Dec. After a short undecided SPIN, Athos took a good lead.
1868. WHYTE-MELVILLE, The White Rose, I. x. Don’t you funk being SPUN?
PHRASES. TO SPIN A YARN = to tell a story: originally nautical; TO SPIN STREET-YARN = to gad, to LOAF (q.v.); TO SPIN A FAIR THREAD = to busy oneself about trifles (RAY); TO SPIN OUT = to prolong unreasonably; ‘She’d rather kiss than SPIN’ (of a wanton).
1694. SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, Fables, 379. By one Delay after another, they SPIN OUT their whole Lives.
1779. SHERIDAN, The Critic, i. 1. Do you mean that the story is tediously SPUN OUT?
1837. PRESCOTT, Ferdinand and Isabella, ii. 13. He endeavoured, however, to gain further time by SPINNING OUT the negotiation.
1856. WHITCHER, The Widow Bedott Papers, 149. They say when [Sally Hugle] ain’t a SPINNIN’ street yarn, she don’t do nothin’ but write poitry.
1885. Observer, 20 Dec. The YARN IS SPUN by Ben Campion, the old salt who was its hero.
