1 C1 neutral
to make a rotating machine or part begin turning faster
"The engine spun up as the pilot prepared for takeoff."
both
spin up
C1 neutral both transitive/intransitive
to increase rotational speed, or quickly create and activate technical resources
In plain English
to make something start turning fast, or quickly get a system ready
What does "spin up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic neutral
to create and activate a computing resource quickly
"We can spin up another server in a few minutes if traffic increases."
both
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
to make something spin upward or faster
Actually means
to make something start turning fast, or quickly get a system ready
Usage tip
Common in engineering and IT. In cloud computing, it often means to create a server or service quickly.
Words that pair with "spin up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
disk drive motor server instance turbine
How to conjugate "spin up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
spin up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
spins up
he/she/it
Past simple
spined up
yesterday
Past participle
spined up
have + pp
-ing form
spining up
continuous
Hear "spin up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "spin up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "spin up"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.