swirl
English
Etymology
From Middle English swirlen (“to eddy; swirl”). Cognate with Norwegian svirla (“to whirl around; swirl”). Compare also Swedish svirra, Danish svirre, German schwirren.
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)l
Verb
swirl (third-person singular simple present swirls, present participle swirling, simple past and past participle swirled)
- (transitive, intransitive) To twist or whirl, as an eddy.
- I swirled my brush around in the paint.
- Charles Kingsley
- The river swirled along.
- 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport[1]:
- The contest was a lot more even in the second half, as the wind swirled around the Stadium of Light, but it took Craig Gardner's superb block to prevent Young getting on the scoresheet.
- To be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl.
- (figuratively) To circulate.
- 2013 May 23, Sarah Lyall, "British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party," New York Times (retrieved 29 May 2013):
- Mr. Cameron had a respite Thursday from the negative chatter swirling around him when he appeared outside 10 Downing Street to denounce the murder a day before of a British soldier on a London street.
- 2013 May 23, Sarah Lyall, "British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party," New York Times (retrieved 29 May 2013):
Derived terms
Translations
to twist or whirl
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to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl
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Noun
swirl (plural swirls)
- A whirling eddy.
- A twist or coil of something.
- (fishing) The upward rushing of a fish through the water to take the bait.
Derived terms
Translations
whirling eddy
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