Phrases. To spin a yarn = to tell a story: originally nautical; to spin street-yarn = to gad, to loaf (q.v.); to spin a fair thread = to busy oneself about trifles (Ray); to spin out = to prolong unreasonably; 'She'd rather kiss than spin' (of a wanton).
d. 1704. Lestrange, Works [Century]. By one delay after another, they spin out their whole lives.
1779. Sheridan, Critic, i. 1. Do you mean that the story is tediously spun out?
1837. Prescott, Ferd. and Isabella, ii. 13. He endeavoured, however, to gain further time by spinning out the negotiation.
18[?]. Widow Bedott Papers, 149. They say when Sally Hugle ain't a spinnin' street-yarn, she don't do nothing but write poetry.
1885. Observer, 20 Dec. The yarn is spun by Ben Campion, the old salt who was its hero.
Spindle, subs. (venery).—The
penis: see Prick.
To make (or spin) crooked spindles, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes. A woman that makes or spins crooked spindles, that is, maketh her husband cuckold.
Spindle-legs (or -shanks), subs.
phr. (colloquial).—1. Long, thin
legs: hence (2) a tall, slender
person; a lamp-post (q.v.). Also
as adj. (or spindly) = thin, slim
(Grose).
1570. Marr., Wit and Science [Dodsley, Old Plays (Hazlitt), ii. 336]. But what, if she find fault with these spindle-shanks.
1703. Steele, Tender Husband, i. 1. A Weezel-faced cross old Gentleman with spindle-shanks.
1715. Addison, Drummer, i. 1. This spindle-shanked fellow.
1723. Swift, Mary the Cookmaid's Letter [Chalmers, Eng. Poets, xi. 433]. My master is a personable man, and not a spindle-shanked hoddy-doddy.
1888. Pop. Sci. Monthly, xxxvi. 556. The effect of all this may be easily imagined—a spindly growth of rootless ideas.
Spink, subs. (Royal Military Academy).—Milk:
new or condensed.
Spinning- (or Spin-) house, subs.
phr. (old).—A house of correction
or Bridewell for loose women.
[The task work consisted of
spinning or beating hemp.]
Hence spinster = a harlot.
[The term is still applied to the
prison for disorderly women attached
to the Vice-Chancellor's
Court at the University of Cambridge.]
1622. Fletcher, Prophetess, iii. 1. We are no spinsters; nor if you look upon us, So wretched as you take us.
1641. Evelyn, Diary, 19 Aug. As we returned we stepp'd in to see the spin-house, a kind of Bridewell, where incorrigible and lewd women are kept in discipline and order.
1662. Fuller, Worthies of England, Kent. Many would never be wretched spinsters were they spinsters in deed, nor come to so public and shameful punishments.
Spinniken (tramps').—St. Giles'
Workhouse; large house (q.v.).
Spinsrap, subs. (back slang).—A
parsnip.
Spintext, subs. (old).—A parson;
spec. a prosy preacher.
1693. Congreve, Old Bachelor, i. 1. Spintext! Oh, the fanatic one-eyed parson.
d. 1704. Brown, Works, ii. 236. Mr. Spintext the preacher, or Mr. Lovelady the chaplain.
c. 1712. Ward, Works (1718), iii. 'Libertine's Answ. to his Uncle. I . . . cannot but believe you have been at the expence of imploying some superannuated spintext, to rattle off your poor nephew.
