spin
gb/spˈɪn/ us/spˈɪn/
B1
English
~ 5200
forog, pörget, pörög, csúsztatás, elfogult tálalás, beállít, kedvező színben tüntet fel, tálal, kör, próbakör, pörgés, csavar, forgás, megszédít, forog a feje, összezavar, történetet kerekít, mesét sző, zavarodottság, kiborulás, pánik, spin, saját impulzusmomentum
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
to spin [something] around
The ice skater began to spin faster and faster in the center of the rink.
A műkorcsolyázó a pálya közepén egyre gyorsabban kezdett forogni.
The washing machine is noisy when it starts to spin the clothes dry.
A mosógép zajos, amikor elkezdi kipörgetni a vizet a ruhákból.
He spun the wheel and waited to see which prize he would win.
The toy car spun in circles when it hit the wall.
Learner examples
The Earth spins around the Sun.
A Föld a Nap körül kering.
She likes to spin in the middle of the room when she dances.
Szeret a szoba közepén forogni, amikor táncol.
The fan was spinning so fast that I could not see the blades.
He spun the chair around to face the window.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "spin" for any kind of turning. Use "spin" when something turns quickly or many times; for a single slow movement, "turn" is more natural.
Meaning
turn or rotate quickly
Collocations
spin around
|spin in circles
|spin the wheel
|spin the bottle
|spin the drum
|spin cycle
Synonyms
rotate (More general and slightly more formal; does not always suggest high speed.)
|
twirl (Often suggests a lighter, more playful spin, especially of people or small objects.)
Antonyms
stop (Means to cease moving or turning, the opposite of continuing to spin.)
Themes
movement
|physics
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To turn around and around very fast, or make something do this.
To turn rapidly around a central point, or cause something to turn rapidly around a central point.
NOUN
B2
2
csúsztatás
B2
Usage pattern:
put a spin on [something]
The press conference was full of government spin and very few clear answers.
A sajtótájékoztató tele volt kormányzati csúsztatással, és alig hangzott el világos válasz.
You can tell there's a lot of spin in that company report.
Látszik, hogy abban a céges jelentésben sok a csúsztatás.
The article tries to put a positive spin on the disappointing sales figures.
Opposition parties accused the minister of putting political spin ahead of facts.
Learner examples
The ad has a lot of spin and does not tell the whole story.
A reklámban sok a csúsztatás, és nem ad teljes képet.
There is always some spin in election news.
A választási hírekben mindig van némi elfogult tálalás.
The manager added some spin to make the bad numbers sound better.
I do not trust the spin in this press release.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "spin" here means a lie. It often uses true facts but presents them in a way that changes how people feel or think about them.
Meaning
biased way of presenting information
Collocations
put a spin on
|political spin
|media spin
|positive spin
|PR spin
Synonyms
slant (Suggests a particular angle or point of view; slightly more formal.)
|
propaganda (Stronger and more negative; usually for government or political messages that are very biased.)
Antonyms
plain truth (Emphasizes facts presented directly and honestly, without trying to change how people feel about them.)
Themes
politics
|media
|communication
Definition
A special way of telling news or facts so that people see them in the way you want, not always in a completely honest way.
A way of describing or presenting information that is intended to influence how people understand it, often by emphasizing some facts and downplaying others.
VERB
B2
3
Usage pattern:
to spin [something] as [adjective]
The company tried to spin the layoffs as an exciting new opportunity for workers.
A cég megpróbálta a leépítéseket izgalmas új lehetőségként beállítani a dolgozók számára.
Her team did their best to spin the mistake as a learning experience.
A csapata mindent megtett, hogy a hibát tanulságos tapasztalatként tálalja.
The candidate spun the debate performance as a clear victory, despite mixed reviews.
They attempted to spin the data as proof of success, even though the numbers were weak.
Learner examples
The politician spun the bad news as something good.
A politikus úgy állította be a rossz hírt, mintha valami jó lenne.
His boss spun the low profits as normal for this year.
A főnöke az alacsony nyereséget úgy tálalta, mintha ez idén normális lenne.
The ad agency will try to spin the product problems in a positive way.
She is very good at spinning bad results so they sound okay.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the physical meaning of "spin". If the object is information, news, results, or a story in a political or business context, it usually has this meaning.
Meaning
present information in biased way
Collocations
spin the story
|spin the results
|spin it as
|spin the news
|spin the facts
Synonyms
misrepresent (Focuses more on being inaccurate or unfair, not just selective.)
|
massage (In expressions like "massage the figures"; suggests quietly changing information to look better.)
Antonyms
present plainly (Means to share information directly and simply, without trying to change how people feel about it.)
Themes
politics
|media
|business
|communication
Definition
To tell news or facts in a special way so that people think about them the way you want, not always in a completely honest way.
To describe or present information in a way that is intended to influence how people understand it, often by emphasizing some parts and hiding or softening others.
NOUN
B1
4
Usage pattern:
go for a spin
We took the new car out for a spin after dinner.
Vacsora után elvittük az új autót egy körre.
Do you want to go for a spin around the lake on our bikes?
Van kedved tekerni egyet a tó körül a biciklijeinkkel?
He offered to give me a quick spin on his new motorcycle.
She went for a spin in the countryside to relax.
Learner examples
Let's go for a spin in your new car.
Menjünk egy kört az új autóddal.
He took his bike for a spin in the park.
Ment egy kört a parkban a biciklijével.
I want to take this scooter for a spin before I buy it.
They went for a short spin after work.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "spin" here means a long trip. It usually means a short, casual ride, often for fun.
Meaning
short drive or ride
Collocations
go for a spin
|went for a spin
|take it for a spin
|quick spin
Synonyms
ride (More general; does not suggest that the ride is short or mainly for fun or testing.)
Antonyms
stay in (Means not going out for a ride or trip.)
Themes
travel
|daily life
|leisure
|transportation
Definition
A short trip in a car, bike, or similar thing, for fun or to see how it works.
A short ride in a car, bicycle, or other vehicle, usually for pleasure or to test how it works.
NOUN
B2
5
Usage pattern:
go into a spin
The plane went into a spin before the pilot regained control.
A repülőgép dugóhúzóba került, mielőtt a pilóta visszanyerte az irányítást.
He put a lot of spin on the tennis ball to make it curve.
Sok csavart vitt a teniszlabdába, hogy elkanyarodjon.
The coin did a quick spin on the table and then fell over.
The top slowed down and its spin became uneven.
Learner examples
The helicopter went into a spin and then crashed.
A helikopter irányíthatatlan pörgésbe kezdett, majd lezuhant.
She can add strong spin to the ball when she serves.
Szerváláskor erős csavart tud adni a labdának.
The toy's spin stopped after a few seconds.
The driver lost control and the car went into a spin.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the "short ride" meaning. If you say "put spin on the ball" or "go into a spin" in sports or flying, it refers to turning movement, not a trip.
Meaning
act or motion of spinning
Collocations
go into a spin
|come out of a spin
|put spin on the ball
|backspin
|topspin
Synonyms
rotation (More formal and technical; does not always suggest high speed.)
|
whirl (Suggests quick, sometimes chaotic turning; often more emotional or dramatic.)
Antonyms
stillness (Refers to a lack of movement, the opposite of spinning motion.)
Themes
movement
|sports
|aviation
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The movement of something that turns around very fast.
The action, motion, or state of turning quickly around a central point.
VERB
B2
6
Usage pattern:
to make [someone]'s head spin
All the new rules made my head spin.
Az új szabályoktól csak úgy forgott a fejem.
The roller coaster was so fast it left him spinning for minutes afterward.
A hullámvasút olyan gyors volt, hogy utána még percekig forgott vele a világ.
The sudden change in plans had her mind spinning.
The huge amount of data is enough to spin anyone's head.
Learner examples
Too many numbers in this report make my head spin.
Túl sok szám van ebben a jelentésben, és forog tőlük a fejem.
The busy city made his head spin on his first day there.
Az első napján teljesen megszédítette a nyüzsgő város.
All these new ideas are spinning in my mind.
The fast ride on the boat made me spin for a while.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this must involve real physical turning. In many cases, especially with "head" or "mind", it is about feeling confused or overloaded, not actually turning.
Meaning
make dizzy or overwhelmed
Collocations
head is spinning
|mind is spinning
|make my head spin
|sent her into a spin
Synonyms
daze (Focuses more on a stunned, unclear mental state, not on physical turning.)
|
overwhelm (Highlights being mentally or emotionally overloaded; may not suggest confusion.)
Antonyms
steady (To make someone feel calm and clear again, the opposite of dizzy or overwhelmed.)
Themes
emotions
|health
Definition
To make someone, or to feel, very dizzy or confused because there is too much movement or too much information.
To cause someone to feel dizzy, confused, or mentally overwhelmed, or to feel this way oneself.
VERB
B2
7
mesét sző
C1
Usage pattern:
to spin [a story/tale/yarn]
He loves to spin a good yarn about his travels.
Szeret jó kis történeteket kerekíteni az utazásairól.
She spun an elaborate story to explain why she was late.
Kacifántos történetet kerekített arról, miért késett el.
The novelist can spin a compelling tale out of everyday life.
He quickly spun a believable excuse to avoid the meeting.
Learner examples
My grandfather likes to spin long stories about his childhood.
A nagyapám szeret hosszú történeteket mesélni a gyerekkoráról.
She spun a funny tale about her first day at work.
Vicces történetet kerekített az első munkanapjáról.
He spun an excuse so his boss would not be angry.
The writer can spin a story from a simple idea.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the "biased information" meaning. If you talk about stories, tales, yarns, or excuses in a creative way, it usually means telling an imaginative story, not political or media spin.
Meaning
tell creative, often invented story
Collocations
spin a story
|spin a tale
|spin a yarn
|spin an excuse
Synonyms
fabricate (More formal and negative; emphasizes that the story is false and made up.)
|
embellish (Suggests adding extra, often untrue details to make a true story more interesting.)
Antonyms
relate plainly (Means to tell what happened simply and directly, without adding or decorating details.)
Themes
communication
|storytelling
|arts_entertainment
Definition
To tell a story in a very creative way, often adding things that are not really true.
To tell a story or account in a detailed, imaginative, and often invented or exaggerated way.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
8
Usage pattern:
be in a spin
The sudden news sent him into a spin.
A váratlan hír teljesen összezavarta.
She's been in a spin all week trying to meet the deadline.
Egész héten idegesen kapkod, hogy tartani tudja a határidőt.
The announcement threw the whole office into a spin.
The change in schedule put the team into a real spin.
Learner examples
The exam results put her in a spin.
A vizsgaeredmények teljesen összezavarták.
He was in a spin after he lost his job.
Teljesen össze volt zavarodva, miután elvesztette az állását.
The travel problems sent the family into a spin.
I get into a spin when I have too many things to do.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this always refers to physical movement. When used with people or emotions, it usually means a mental or emotional state, not actual turning.
Meaning
state of confusion or panic
Collocations
in a spin
|sent her into a spin
|emotional spin
|financial spin
Synonyms
turmoil (More formal and stronger; suggests serious disorder or confusion.)
Antonyms
calm (A peaceful, relaxed state where thoughts and feelings are under control.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|health
Definition
A feeling of confusion or worry so strong that it is hard to think clearly.
A state of mental confusion, excitement, or worry in which it is hard to think clearly.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
9
spin
C2
The experiment measures changes in electron spin under a strong magnetic field.
A kísérlet az elektronspin változásait méri erős mágneses térben.
Quantum spin is a key concept in modern particle physics.
A kvantumspin a modern részecskefizika egyik kulcsfogalma.
The two particles have opposite spin states.
Learner examples
In quantum physics, particles have a property called spin.
A kvantumfizikában a részecskéknek van egy spin nevű tulajdonságuk.
Scientists use spin to explain how some particles behave.
A tudósok a spin segítségével magyarázzák, hogyan viselkednek egyes részecskék.
The lesson today was about electron spin in atoms.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this refers to physical spinning in space. In quantum physics, "spin" is a mathematical property, not literal turning.
Meaning
intrinsic angular momentum of particles
Collocations
electron spin
|spin state
|spin up
|spin down
Synonyms
intrinsic angular momentum (More technical phrase used in physics to describe the same property.)
Themes
science
|physics
Definition
In physics, a basic property of very small particles that is similar to how something turns, and that affects how those particles act.
In physics, a fundamental property of subatomic particles that behaves like intrinsic angular momentum and influences their magnetic and quantum behavior.
Grammar
Dictionary form
spin
IPA
GB/spˈɪn/
US/spˈɪn/
Syllables & stress
spin (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (spin)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: spin
- Plural: spin, spins
Verb
- Base: spin
- 3rd Person Singular: spins
- Present Participle: spinning
- Past: spun
- Past Participle: spun
Word family
Forms
spins
noun
spinning
verb
spun
verb
Core family
spinner
noun
Related words
spindle
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: spinning Verb
- Irregular past: spun Verb
- Irregular past participle: spun Verb
Expressions
go for a spin
1/ɡˈoʊ fɚ ə spˈɪn/
fixed phrase
take a short ride
To go on a short ride in a car, bike, or similar vehicle, usually for fun.
Examples
- We went for a spin along the coast after lunch.
- Do you want to go for a spin on my new scooter?
head is spinning
1/hˈɛd ˈɪz spˈɪnɪŋ/
idiom
feel very confused or shocked
To feel so confused or surprised that it is hard to think clearly.
Examples
- There was so much information in the meeting that my head is still spinning.
- Her head was spinning after she heard the unexpected news.
in a spin
1/ˈɪn ə spˈɪn/
idiom
informal
in a confused or worried state
Feeling very confused, worried, or excited so that it is hard to think clearly.
Examples
- She's been in a spin all morning trying to fix the booking mistake.
- The news of the merger left the whole department in a spin.
make someone's head spin
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌnz hˈɛd spˈɪn/
idiom
overwhelm or confuse someone
To make someone feel very confused or amazed, often because there is too much information or it is too surprising.
Examples
- All these quick changes in the project are making my head spin.
- The fast talking salesman made her head spin with numbers and promises.
put a new spin on
1/pˈʊt ə njˈu spˈɪn ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
give something a fresh angle
To present or explain something in a different or fresh way from how people usually see it.
Examples
- The director put a new spin on the old play by setting it in modern times.
- This article puts a new spin on the causes of climate change.
put a positive spin on
1/pˈʊt ə pˈɑzɪtɪv spˈɪn ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
present something in a positive way
To talk about something, especially bad news, in a way that makes it seem good or less serious.
Examples
- The CEO tried to put a positive spin on the disappointing sales figures.
- The press release puts a positive spin on the delays by calling them "essential improvements."
spin around
1/spˈɪn ɚˈaʊnd/
phrasal verb
turn quickly to face another way
To turn your body or something else quickly so it faces a different direction.
Examples
- She spun around when she heard her name.
- The dancer spun around and jumped into the air.
spin off
1/spˈɪn ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
create separate company or product
To form a new company, product, or show from part of an existing one.
Examples
- The tech giant plans to spin off its cloud business into a separate company.
- The popular TV series spun off two successful sequels.
spin one's wheels
1/spˈɪn wˈʌnz wˈilz/
idiom
informal
waste effort without progress
To be busy and use a lot of effort but not move forward or get real results.
Examples
- We keep changing the plan, but it feels like we're just spinning our wheels.
- If you don't set clear goals, you may spin your wheels for years.
spin out
1/spˈɪn ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
prolong something unnecessarily
To make something, like a meeting, story, or process, last longer than it really needs to.
Examples
- They managed to spin out the negotiations for several months.
- The writer spins out the final chapter far too much.
spin out of control
1/spˈɪn ˈaʊt əv kəntɹˈoʊl/
idiom
become impossible to control
To become so difficult or chaotic that no one can manage or control it anymore.
Examples
- What started as a small argument soon spun out of control.
- Costs have spun out of control since the project began.
spin up
1/spˈɪn ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
technical
start or initialize a system
To start a computer, server, or similar system so that it is ready to work.
Examples
- We can spin up a new server in a few minutes in the cloud.
- The script automatically spins up additional instances when traffic increases.
take something for a spin
1/tˈeɪk sˈʌmθɪŋ fɚ ə spˈɪn/
fixed phrase
test or try briefly
To use a car, bike, or similar thing for a short time to see how it feels or works.
Examples
- He took the rental car for a spin around the block.
- You should take the bike for a spin before you decide to buy it.
what's your spin on
1/wˈʌts jˈʊɹ spˈɪn ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
informal
ask for someone's take on something
Used to ask what someone thinks or how they see a situation.
Examples
- What's your spin on the new policy?
- Everyone has an opinion about the film; what's your spin on it?
spin a yarn
1/spˈɪn ə jˈɑɹn/
idiom
informal
tell a long invented story
To tell a long, detailed story, often with things that are not really true.
Examples
- He loves to sit in the bar and spin a yarn about his days at sea.
- My grandfather loves to sit by the fire and spin a yarn about his days at sea.
- Grandpa is spinning one of his famous yarns again.
- I think he's just spinning a yarn to impress you; that can't all be true.
- They spent the evening spinning yarns about their travel adventures.