Spin v. t. [imp. & p. p. Spun (Archaic imp. Span ); p. pr. & vb. n. Spinning.]
 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.]