English Explanatory Dictionary

spin doctor

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A person employed to gloss over a poor public image (or present it in a better light) in business and politics, especially after unfavourable results have been achieved; a lobbyist; a PR person.
verb
  1. To generate spin (a favorable interpretation or bias).

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-spin doctor.wav

Word forms

spin doctor spin doctors spindoctor spin doctoring spin doctored

Etymology

From spin (“a favorable comment or interpretation”) + doctor. First use appears c. 1984 in the New York Times.

Synonyms

spinmeister spinster spin merchant

Related words

spin machine spin control spin doctoring

Derived words

spin-doctored
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