To spin street yarn

To spin street yarn
Spin Spin (sp[i^]n), 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. [1913 Webster]

All the yarn she [Penelope] spun in Ulysses' absence did but fill Ithaca full of moths. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

Do you mean that story is tediously spun out? --Sheridan. [1913 Webster]

3. To protract; to spend by delays; as, to spin out the day in idleness. [1913 Webster]

By one delay after another they spin out their whole lives. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster]

4. To cause to turn round rapidly; to whirl; to twirl; as, to spin a top. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

{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.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • To spin a yarn — Spin Spin (sp[i^]n), 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.,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spin — (sp[i^]n), 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.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • To spin hay — Spin Spin (sp[i^]n), 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.,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Span — Spin Spin (sp[i^]n), 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.,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spinning — Spin Spin (sp[i^]n), 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.,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spun — Spin Spin (sp[i^]n), 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.,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Spinning mule — A pair of Condenser spinning mules. These have 741 spindles, being cut down from 133 feet (41 m) 1122 spindles they used to have up until the 24th Sept 1974, when they were retired from Elk Mill, Royton. The mule was built by Platt Brothers …   Wikipedia

  • Slater Mill Historic Site — Old Slater Mill U.S. National Register of Historic Places U.S. National Historic Landmark …   Wikipedia

  • Cynthia Rylant — (born June 6, 1954) is an American author. She has written more than 100 children s books in English and Spanish. With the divorce of her parents when she was four and living without running water and electricity she became an author including… …   Wikipedia

  • Business and Industry Review — ▪ 1999 Introduction Overview        Annual Average Rates of Growth of Manufacturing Output, 1980 97, Table Pattern of Output, 1994 97, Table Index Numbers of Production, Employment, and Productivity in Manufacturing Industries, Table (For Annual… …   Universalium

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