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to spin-out

to spin-out

6.7
To make something last longer by making it finish later
  • phrasal verb
  • /spɪn aʊt/
  • Informal
translation icon : alargar
  • The meeting was getting too long, so I suggested we spin out the discussion about budget cuts to next week.

Ends up spinning out all sorts of commentary, but the commentary ends up being really just mere speculation, the best that human beings can do.

Examples

  • She tends to spin out her explanations, making simple topics unnecessarily complicated.

  • To keep the audience engaged, the speaker decided to spin out the presentation with additional examples.

  • But what's interesting in this one is we're actually spinning out kind of the main the core business.

  • A good prediction machine is constantly spinning out scenarios of what might be, what could possibly be.

  • Ends up spinning out all sorts of commentary, but the commentary ends up being really just mere speculation, the best that human beings can do.

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

Synonyms

to prolong
vsto spin-out
96 3.9

To make something last longer

implies deliberate unnecessary extension beyond normal duration
to drag out
vsto spin-out
  • Informal
23 5.1

Make something last longer than needed, causing boredom or frustration

focuses on deliberate prolonging rather than only causing boredom
to draw out
vsto spin-out
9 4.0

Make a conversation or event last longer than usual

is about deliberately prolonging by choice rather than simple stretching
to spin
vsto spin-out
6 5.5

To make something last longer than needed

marks deliberate prolonging done intentionally to extend duration
to protract
vsto spin-out
4 7.8

To make something last longer than it needs to

involves deliberate action to prolong beyond necessity
to string out
vsto spin-out
  • Informal
2 6.3

To make something last longer than needed, often on purpose

emphasizes deliberate prolonging as a chosen means to extend duration
to spin out
vsto spin-out
  • Informal
1 5.6

To make something last longer than needed

is the hyphenated form used instead of the two-word spelling

Antonyms

to shorten
45 2.3

Make something shorter, for example an article, skirt, or route

to expedite
  • Formal
45 6.5

To make something happen faster and easier

How Long

to spin-out
  • Informal
6.7
to prolong
96 3.9
to delay
562 1.4
to end
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

spin-out infinitive
spinning-out present participle
spin-outs third person singular
spun-out past
spun-out past participle

Morphology

spin-out = spin + out (transparent) = spin + out

The sense 'to prolong' is a straightforward extension of the phrasal verb structure where 'out' conveys extension, so learners can infer the meaning from the parts.

Etymology

Spin-out meaning 'to make something last longer' can be remembered with a helpful image: think of spin like 'spin a story' or pulling thread slowly so it stretches out. So to spin-out is to stretch or delay something so it lasts longer.