крути́ть

fairly common #3971C2

verbimperfective perfective is покрути́ть

1.
to turn, to twist, to spin, to twirl
Он кру́тил руль одно́й руко́й.
He was turning the steering wheel with one hand.
Of wheels, handles, pedals, anything made to revolve.
2.
to turn off (a tap), to tighten, to screw shut, to screw on
Крути́ кран плотне́е, вода́ ка́пает.
Turn the tap tighter, the water is dripping.
3.
to roll, to roll up
Дед сиде́л и кру́тил папиро́су.
Grandfather sat rolling a cigarette.
Chiefly of cigarettes.
4.
to twist, to twine, to twist together
Она́ кру́тит нить из ше́рсти.
She is twisting a thread out of wool.
5.
to play, to show (a film), to spin (a record)
В клу́бе кру́тят ста́рый фильм.
They are showing an old film at the club.
Colloquial.
6.
to have an affair, to go out (with someone), to date
Они́ уже́ год кру́тят рома́н.
They have been having an affair for a year now.
Colloquial, usually крутить роман / любовь с кем-л.
7.
to have on a string, to twist round one's finger, to boss around
Она́ кру́тит им как хо́чет.
She twists him round her little finger.
Colloquial, with the instrumental: крутить кем-л.
8.
to whirl, to swirl, to blow about
На у́лице кру́тит мете́ль.
Outside a blizzard is whirling.
Often impersonal: на улице крутит.

Examples

Она кру́тит им как хо́чет.
She has him wrapped around her finger.
Ты мо́жешь крути́ть баскетбо́льный мяч на па́льце?
Can you spin a basketball on your fingertip?
После работы она полчаса крутит педали на велотренажёре.
After work, she pedals on the exercise bike for half an hour.
Радио целый день крутит новый шлягер.
The radio plays the new hit song all day long.
Как ни крути́, а вы́ход один.
Anyways, we have no other choice.
Втихую от Тома Мария крути́ла интрижку с моло́чником.
Maria was having an affair with the milkman behind Tom’s back.
Ребёнок весь день крутит юлу на полу.
The child spins a top on the floor all day.
Мужики сидели у костра и крутили цигарки
The men sat by the campfire and rolled cigarettes.

Note: Stress change.

Imperative
ты	крути́
вы	крути́те

Active present	крутя́щий	twisting, rotating, turning
Active past	крути́вший	that was spinning, that was turning, that was twisting, having spun
Passive present	крути́мый	twirlable, rotatable, twistable, spinnable
Passive past	кру́ченный	twisted, spun, braided, curled
Gerund present	крутя́	while doing (present)
Gerund past	крути́в крутивши	while doing (past)

Verb	Prefix	Meaning
крути́ть	-	to turn; to turn off (a tap); to roll; to twist; to play; to have an affair; to have on a string; to whirl
крути́ться	-	to spin twist rotate (reflexive)
вкрути́ть	в-	to twist in
вы́крутить	вы-	to unscrew; to twist