Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To prolong or extend something, often unnecessarily or beyond a desired point: To cause an activity, event, or situation to last for a longer duration than is typical, expected, or sometimes necessary.

Usage

• The verb "spin out" is used with a direct object (e.g., a story, a meeting, a visit). It often carries a nuance of making something last longer than it naturally would or should, sometimes implying a degree of artificial extension or drawn-out tedium.
• Common Collocations: It is frequently followed by nouns like "story," "discussion," "meeting," "visit," "process," or "explanation."

Examples

• Verb:
  • The speaker managed to spin out his lecture for another thirty minutes.
  • They tried to spin out the negotiations to gain a better deal.
  • Don't spin out the story; just tell us the ending.

Advanced Usage

• "to spin something out": This is the standard phrasal verb construction, where the object can be placed between "spin" and "out" or after "out."
  • He spun the meeting out for hours. (Object placed between)
  • He spun out the meeting for hours. (Object placed after)

Variants and Related Words

• Spin-off (noun): A byproduct or incidental result of something larger, often a new company or product derived from an existing one.
  • The popular TV show led to several movie spin-offs.
• Spin (verb): To rotate quickly; to present information in a particular way.
  • The wheel began to spin. / Politicians often spin the news.

Synonyms

• Prolong: To extend the duration of.
• Protract: To draw out or lengthen in time.
• Drag out: To cause to last an unnecessarily long time (more informal and often negative).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Spin off: To create something new based on an existing product, idea, or company.
  • The tech giant decided to spin off its cloud division into a separate company.

Idioms

• Spin one's wheels: To expend effort without making any progress.
  • We're just spinning our wheels in this meeting without a clear agenda.
  • (Note: This idiom uses "spin" but not the full phrasal verb "spin out.")

Verb

1. prolong or extend
   • spin out a visit