yarn
-Google:
noun
-
spun thread used for knitting, weaving, or sewing
[PN: okay…enough of that definition. I promise.] -
informal a long or rambling story, especially one that is implausible.
verb informal
- tell a long or implausible story
-Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:
an exciting or interesting story; especially: a story that is so surprising or unusual that it is difficult to believe
-Oxford Dictionaries
noun informal A long or rambling story, especially one that is implausible
-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language:
- Informal A long, often elaborate narrative of real or fictitious adventures; an entertaining tale.
intr.v informal To tell an entertaining tale or series of tales.
-Wordnet 3.0:
- The act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events.
-The Collaborative International Dictionary of English:
- A story told by a sailor for the amusement of his companions; a story or tale; as to spin a yarn.
-Dictionary of Americanisms:
A story. A word chiefly used by seamen [Beaumont]. To spin a long yarn, is to tell a long or tedious story.
-Christian Classics Ethereal Library [PN: yes, this is a thing]:
Found only in 1 Kings 10:28, 2 Chr. 1:16. The Heb. word mikveh, i.e., “a stringing together,” so rendered, rather signifies a host, or company, or a string of horses. The Authorized Version has: “And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king’s merchants received the linen yarn at a price;” but the Revised Version correctly renders: “And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; the king’s merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price.”
-The Online Etymology Dictionary:
The phrase to spin a yarn “to tell a story” is first attested 1812, from a sailors’ expression, on notion of telling stories while engaged in sedentary work such as yarn-twisting.
-Wordcount Ranking: 7764 (between stimulated and subordinate)
-A little walk down memory lane:
-Oh, what the heck. A couple movie quotes:
-And finally, from the analogue world, the first time I heard this day’s word:
[PN: said at a press conference of the book The Hunt for Red October…I believe it was also on the jacket cover of the book.]
-xtien