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to spin off

to spin off

11 4.3
To create a new company or product from part of a larger business
  • phrasal verb
  • /spɪn ɔf/
translation icon : escindir
  • The 11-year-old company was founded in February 2001, spun off from Maine Poly.
  • spin off a company
  • firm spun off

And each of these manages to spin off other things on the way as well.

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Examples

  • Then in 1999, Viacom spun off Blockbuster and took the company public, bringing in $465 million in its initial public offering, while at the same time leaving it saddled with massive debt.

  • During the 1990s, he explained, Detroit automakers spun off their parts manufacturing operations.

    Academic text (2004)
  • That whole command and control system for space the US runs, we're trying to spin off parts of it.

  • Like how do you spin off a film into TV?

  • And each of these manages to spin off other things on the way as well.

  • For example, an auto manufacturer may spin off a company or companies that make various auto parts.

    Academic text (1999)
  • As a result, many of the large public accounting firms have sold or spun off their consulting practices.

    Academic text (2004)
  • "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" spun off "Rhoda," "Phyllis," and "Lou Grant."

    Blog text (3)
  • Marriott's time-share business was spun off last year into Marriott Vacations Worldwide (VAC).

    Blog text (17)
  • The company plans to spin off its software division to focus on its core business.

Synonyms

to spin-out
vsto spin off
  • Specialized
6.7

To create a new business from part of a larger company

creates new things as byproducts of a larger process, often forming separate businesses
to hive off
vsto spin off
  • Jargon
8.0

To separate part of a company to make it an independent business

creates new things as consequences of a larger process, often becoming separate businesses
to fork off
vsto spin off
  • Specialized
7.4

To copy a code project so someone can work on it separately

creates new things as byproducts of a larger process, often forming separate businesses

How Independent

to spin off
11 4.3
to develop
905 1.6
to create
1.0
to produce
2.0

Surface Forms

spin off infinitive
spinning off present participle
spins off third person singular
spun off past
spun off past participle

Morphology

spin + off

The particle 'off' signals separation/removal, which gives learners a clue that something is detached from a larger entity, but 'spin' does not literally mean 'create' and the specific sense of forming a new business or byproduct is a metaphorical extension. An average B1 learner who knows the parts may infer a general sense of separation but would not reliably derive the precise 'create a separate company/product' meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

The phrasal verb spin off may come from the picture of something that spins and then comes off a larger wheel, coming away to be a separate part. So when a company or project 'spins off' something, it creates a 'new company' or 'separate product' that started from the original.