spin

v.

To convey information or cast another person's remarks or actions in a biased or slanted way so as to favorably influence public opinion; information provided in such a fashion.

Example Citation:

"Spin is the perspective that newsmakers and their minions put on a story to minimize any damage it might cause. As defined by political columnist and word maven William Safire in his New Political Dictionary, spin is 'deliberate shading of news perception; attempted control of political reaction.' "

— Jill Lawrence, "Spin: Behind the walkout that wasn't," USA Today

Earliest Citation:

"What Pertschuk is accused of is being too ardent a consumer advocate, of 'lobbying' members of the committee on behalf of things he thinks are good, of putting his own philosophical 'spin' on options, of having excessive influence on Magnuson; in short of acting like the '101st senator."

— Spencer Rich, "An Invisible Network of Hill Power," The Washington Post, March 20, 1977

Notes:

This stalwart member of the political lexicon probably came from phrases such as "putting a positive (or negative) spin on" something. In turn, this notion of influencing direction almost certainly came from sports such as baseball and billiards where players impart spin on a ball to change its course.

Related Words:

garden-to-fork

spinnable

Spinnish

tripartisanship

Zen spin

Category:

Politics