Meaning

(uncountable) A twisted strand of fibre used for knitting or weaving..

Definitions by Sense

1. (uncountable) A twisted strand of fibre used for knitting or weaving.
2. (nautical) Bundles of fibres twisted together, and which in turn are twisted in bundles to form strands, which in their turn are twisted or plaited to form rope.
3. (countable) A story, a tale, especially one that is incredible.
4. (intransitive) To tell a story or stories, especially one that is lengthy or unlikely to be true.

Example Sentences

spin a yarn

I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.

"I'm hanged if I know how you've got the immortal rind to come at me with a yarn like this."

Statistically, this person is also likely to be male and well off, but more essentially this person wants to be educated, to be obsessed, wants more than just a good yarn.

1935, Christopher Isherwood, Mr Norris Changes Trains (U.S. title: The Last of Mr Norris), Chapter Thirteen, in The Berlin Stories, New York: New Directions, 1963, p. 152, “Well, well!” exclaimed Mr. van Hoorn. “Here are the boys! As hungry as hunters, I’ll be bound! And we two old fogies have been wasting the whole afternoon yarning away indoors. My goodness, is it as late as that? I say, I want my tea!”

"He yarns good," said Tom Platt. "T'other night he told us abaout a kid of his own size steerin' a cunnin' little rig an' four ponies up an' down Toledo, Ohio, I think 'twas, an' givin' suppers to a crowd o' sim'lar kids. Cur'us kind o' fairy-tale, but blame interestin'. He knows scores of 'em."

They had stayed in some little pension and had gone for little, bored walks while the colonel went out in the boats with the fisherman, or sat yarning with them in the café.

Word Forms

• yarns
• yarning
• yarned

Synonyms for yarn

Related Words

When Should You Use Yarn?

Use yarn when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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