whirl
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Old Norse: hvirfla ("to go round, spin"). Cognate to Albanian vorbull ("a whirl"). Related to whirr.
Pronunciation[edit]
- (UK) IPA(key): /wɜːl/ or IPA(key): /ʍɜːl/ (in Scottish English and some English accents)
- (US) enPR: wûrl, IPA(key): /wɝl/ or enPR: hwûrl, IPA(key): /ʍɝl/ (in Scottish English and some English accents)
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Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -ɜː(r)l
- Homophone: whorl
Verb[edit]
whirl (third-person singular simple present whirls, present participle whirling, simple past and past participle whirled)
- (intransitive) To rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly.
- The dancer whirled across the stage, stopped, and whirled around to face the audience.
- John Dryden (1631-1700)
- He whirls his sword around without delay.
- 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon.
- (intransitive) To have a sensation of spinning or reeling.
- My head is whirling after all that drink.
- (transitive) To make something or someone whirl.
- The dancer whirled his partner round on her toes.
- (transitive) To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving motion; to snatch.
- John Milton (1608-1674)
- See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, / That whirled the prophet up at Chebar flood.
- Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)
- The passionate heart of the poet is whirl'd into folly.
- John Milton (1608-1674)
Translations[edit]
To rotate, revolve, spin rapidly
Noun[edit]
whirl (plural whirls)
- An act of whirling.
- She gave the top a whirl and it spun across the floor.
- Something that whirls.
- A confused tumult.
- A rapid series of events
- My life is one social whirl.
- Dizziness or giddiness.
- (usually following “give”) A brief experiment or trial.
- OK, let's give it a whirl.
