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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SPIN, v., n. Also spen (Sc. 1866 J. W. Carlyle Lettes (Froude 1883) III. 323). Pa.t. span, spun (Gen.Sc.); pa.p. spun (Gen.Sc.). Sc. forms and usages:

I. v. 1. In combs., phr. and derivs.: (1) spinner, (i) the crane-fly, daddy-long-legs, Tipula oleracea (Kcd. c.1850; ne.Sc., Ags., Ayr., Rxb. 1971). Also in Eng. dial. Cf. Jennie, I. 3. Also spinner fly; (ii) a garden spider (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Abd. 1971). Now only dial. in Eng.; ‡(2) spinni, a contrivance for twisting horse-hair for fishing-lines, consisting of a weight, such as a wooden block or a peat, with a hook fixed in it, to which the hair is attached, the whole then being spun round till the strands are tight (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1971); (3) spinnie, -ey, a spinning-wheel, esp. one in which the wheel is set below the reel (Sh. 1971); (4) spinning-boy, a young flax-spinner; (5) spinning-day, a day's work at spinning, given by a tenant's woman-folk in lieu of rent; (6) spinnin-graith, spinning equipment; (7) spinnin-jennie, -y, (i) = (1) (i) (Lth. 1926 Wilson Cent. Scot. 267; Rs., ne., em., wm., s.Sc. 1971). See Jennie, I. 3.; (ii) a home-made toy consisting of a piece of a pipe-stem and a match transfixed midway by a pin, having a thread fastened under its head and its length thrust down the bore so that the match is made to spin round by twisting the thread (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Lnk., Rxb. 1971); (iii) = (2) (Sh. 1963); (8) spin(nin)-maggie, -meg(gie), = (1) (i) (Per., Fif. 1915–26 Wilson; Mry. c.1930, spin maggie; Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Jnl. (8 Feb.); ne., em.Sc., Ayr., Slk. 1971); (9) spin-Mary, = (1) (Fif. 1825 Jam.); (10) spin the knife, a party game (see quot.) (em.Sc. (a), wm., sm.Sc. 1971); (11) spinwillie, = (1) (i) (Sh. 1971).(1) (i) Bwk. 1848 Proc. Bwk. Nat. Club II. 330:
The larva of the long-legged spinner fly.n.Sc. 1897 Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Gsw. 191:
Several of the larger species are known in the North of Scotland as “Spinners,” from the peculiar noise they make when rising from among the grass.(ii) Dmf. 1842 Dmf. Herald (Oct.):
Earwigs, beetles, and long-legged spinners.(3) Sh. 1888 B. R. Anderson Broken Lights 92:
Da auld wife sat her spinnie at.Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 23:
Aald Time he sits an tirds awa Ipo his hurrin spinnie.Sh. 1969 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 120:
The “spinney” is the upright with treadle, wheel and bobbin or “pirm” in line vertically.(4) Ags. 1833 J. S. Sands Poems 19:
Each spinning boy his mite shall gie.(5) Dmf. 1823 C. K. Sharpe Ballad Bk. vi.:
Gathered from the mouths of tenants' daughters, while giving the Lady (as every Laird's wife was once called), a spinning day, whilom an anniversary tribute in Annandale.(6) Ayr. 1788 Burns D. Davison ii.:
Meg took up her spinnin-graith, And flang them a' out o'er the burn.(8) Abd. 1875 G. MacDonald Malcolm lxiii.:
I carena the leg o' a spin-maggie.Fif. 1875 A. Burgess Poute 12:
Nettercaups — and Spinnin' Megs.Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Jnl. (8 Feb.):
I sleepit like a spmnin'-Meggie till daylicht.(10) Rnf. 1935 L. Kerr Woman of Glenshiels iv.:
Then came a game called Spin the Knife. . . . In this game every one sat in a circle and on the floor inside the circle a knife was made to spin on its side. The boy and girl who spun the knife must call out some funny comment that was applied to whomever the knife pointed at when it stopped spinning.

2. To roll (tobacco leaf) into a continuous rope or coil, to twist (tobacco). Hence spun, of tobacco: twisted, used subst. in comb. Glasgow spun, a thick black twist manufactured in Glasgow; agent n. spinner, one who twists tobacco.Gsw. 1736 J. McUre View Gsw. 322:
Another Manufactory of Tobacco-spinning erected by Mr. Boyd Merchant.Gsw. 1779 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1912) 564:
The society of tobacco spinners in Glasgow . . . Experienced in manufactoring and spinning of tobacco.wm.Sc. 1842 Children in Trades Report (2) I 41:
The tobacco used for spinning is generally Virginia, which arrives in hogsheads pressed tight and dry. . . . The leaf in this state is carried to the table, and placed against the raised side and opposite the spinner at A. Here another boy, called the “pointer” standing on the raised board B, takes each leaf and spreads it out on the table ready for the spinner, who rolls it with both hands upon the table, adding it to the twist C, whilst the third boy, called the “wheel-boy,” keeps the wheel D revolving, by driving it with his right hand applied to the disk d. In this way all the leaves successively are twisted into a long coil.Gall. 1891 R. Kerr Maggie o' the Moss 93:
We each filled our “gun” with the best Glasgow spun.

3. Fig. (1) to bowl along, to progress favourably; to go well (Bnff., Abd., Ags. 1971); (2) with aff: to depart at speed, to set off quickly (Ork. 1971).(1) Abd. 1901 Abd. Wkly. Free Press (16 March):
Luck cam' creekin alang wi' a heavy waggon o' goods, however, an' things span a' frae the day he met wi' some man he ca'd Tyson.(2) Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 121:
Sae Johnnie t'ought, an' aff he span.

4. Fig. to purr, of a cat (I.Sc. 1971).Ork. 1929 Marw.:
Cat i' the mill door — spinnan, spinnan; By cam a peerie moose — rinnan, rinnan.

II. n. 1. As in Eng. Phr. to be on the spin, to be on a drinking spree (Ags., Dmf. 1971).Lnk. 1885 F. Gordon Pyotshaw xxi.:
The drucken auld bizzum's on the spin again.

2. A tale, rumour, piece of gossip, a made-up story (Bnff., Abd. 1971).Abd. 1898 J. R. Imray Sandy Todd x.:
Eppie Mowatt, wha pat oot sic a spin aboot's the nicht ye cam' here.