Definition of "topspin"

topspin

noun
countable and uncountable, plural topspins
1. A rotational motion, especially that given to a ball, in which the upper surface spins in the direction of motion.
2. (uncountable, television, film, publishing) An edgy, quirky or otherwise engaging quality that holds the interest of the audience.
  Quotations
  Well remembered as a visual comedienne, she also had the verbal knack of putting all sorts of topspin on a line.
  1994, Richard D. Heldenfels, Television's Greatest Year: 1954, page 70
  Flashdance had a quality known as top spin, in which the casting, the concept and the look and sound of the movie all come together.
  2010, Justin Wyatt, High Concept: Movies and Marketing in Hollywood
  This fluent, readable book has certainly been polished with a fair degree of what Fleet Street feature editors once called topspin: “Give it some topspin, old boy. Make the copy sing.” In this John Preston more than succeeds.
  2016, Quentin Letts, "A Very English Scandal: sex, lies and a murder plot at the heart of the establishment by John Preston - review" (in Evening Standard, 28 April 2016)
verb
third-person singular simple present topspins, present participle topspinning, simple past and past participle topspun
1. (transitive) To spin (a ball) with this motion.
  Quotations
  He could keep winning through attrition, with a relentless barrage of topspinning ground strokes and a tireless defense of his own side, where would-be winners go to die.
  2007 August 27, John Branch, “His Next Line to Cross”, in New York Times‎

Definition of "topspin"

topspin

noun

Quotations

verb

Quotations