spin a yarn

English

Etymology

By metaphor from spinning fibers into yarn or thread, as for example at a spinning wheel.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

spin a yarn (third-person singular simple present spins a yarn, present participle spinning a yarn, simple past and past participle spun a yarn)

1. (idiomatic) To tell or create a story, especially one which is lengthy or far-fetched.
   • 1864, Anthony Trollope, chapter 14, in Can You Forgive Her?:

     Now I must tell you a little about myself;—or rather, I am inclined to spin a yarn, and tell you a great deal.

Translations

tell a story

• Finnish: kertoa satuja, sepittää (fi)
• French: monter un bateau (fr), raconter des balivernes, raconter des salades (fr), raconter des histoires (fr)
• Polish: bajać (pl) impf, sprzedać historię pf (komuś, a false one), opowiadać głodne kawałki (pl) impf (about tall tales)
• Russian: рассусоливать (ru) impf (rassusolivatʹ)