in a spin
2
7.9
- idiom
- Informal
:
confundido
- When he heard about the changes at work, he found himself in a spin over what to do next.
Examples
-
She was in a spin trying to process everything that happened at the party.
-
And if it didn't put my head in a spin...
Blog text (22) -
I was all in a spin!
-
In fact, he was in a spin.
Fiction book (1998) -
And the conspiracy theory that has the message boards in a spin is the infamous blue ice.
-
Also, after a very strict girl diet and drastic weight loss, I think my body was in a spin!
Blog text (12) -
And in a spin
-
I'm in a spin.
-
Omer Otter whizzed by, leaving Patsy in a spin.
Fiction book (1997) -
After receiving the unexpected news, I felt in a spin and couldn't think straight.
Synonyms
168
1.0
Feeling like the room or world is turning and you may fall
16
3.8
Your body or the room seems to spin and you may lose balance
1
8.2
A sudden state of confusion and panic that makes someone lose control
1
8.6
Feeling dizzy and light-headed and unable to think clearly
1
7.7
Feeling dizzy after spinning or excitement
1
6.0
Feeling dizzy as if things are turning around you
Feeling overwhelmed by many confusing problems you cannot control
With much hurry and disorder
Antonyms
How Confused
Surface Forms
Morphology
in + a + spin
The phrase builds on the literal sense of 'spin' (to rotate/be dizzy) combined with the locative pattern 'in a ___', so a learner who knows 'spin' can form a metaphorical image of being turned around and therefore confused or agitated. However, the emotional/psychological sense ('feeling anxious or disoriented') is a figurative extension rather than a directly compositional meaning, so it is not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
In a spin comes from the image of something turning quickly, like a top or a person who feels dizzy and cannot stand still. When your head feels as if it is spinning, you cannot think clearly, so in a spin came to mean 'confused' or 'upset'.