spinning top

plural spinning tops

1. A toy with a tapering point that can be made to spin on its axis, either with a built-in pump-action handle, with the fingers or with a string.

   Patel says the muons behave a bit like a child’s spinning top, in rotating around the axis of the magnetic field. However, as the muons move, they wobble.

   2023 August 11, Nicola Davis, “Scientists may be on brink of discovering fifth force of nature”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: humming top, spin-top, top