spin a yarn

verb

To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

Similar
spin a tale
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbspin a yarn (third-person singular simple present spins a yarn, present participle spinning a yarn, simple past and past participle spun a yarn)

present singular third person spins a yarn · participle present spinning a yarn · participle past spun a yarn · past spun a yarn

  1. idiomaticTo tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

    Now I must tell you a little about myself;—or rather, I am inclined to spin a yarn, and tell you a great deal.

    1864, Anthony Trollope, chapter 14, in Can You Forgive Her?

    Synonyms: spin a tale

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.

Similar
spin a tale
Also see
spin a tale

Origin

By metaphor from spinning fibers into yarn or thread, as for example at a spinning wheel.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kertoa satuja, sepittää
  • kertoa satujatell a story
  • sepittäätell a story
French monter un bateau, raconter des balivernes
  • monter un bateautell a story
  • raconter des balivernestell a story
  • raconter des saladestell a story
  • raconter des histoirestell a story
Polish bajać, sprzedać historię (komuś, a false one)
  • bajaćtell a story
  • sprzedać historię (komuś, a false one)tell a story
  • opowiadać głodne kawałkitell a story
Russian рассусоливать
  • рассусоливать (rassusolivatʹ)tell a story
Cite this entry
APA

spin a yarn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spin%20a%20yarn

MLA

“spin a yarn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spin%20a%20yarn. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spin a yarn,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spin%20a%20yarn.

Source: spin a yarn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.