whirl
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Verb (5)whirled, whirling
- turn in a twisting or spinning motion“The leaves swirled in the autumn wind”Synonyms: twirlswirltwiddleMore general revolve, go around
- cause to spin“spin a coin”Synonyms: birlspintwirlMore general rotate, circumvolve
- flow in a circular current, of liquidsSynonyms: eddypurlwhirlpoolswirlMore general run, flow
- revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis“The dervishes whirl around and around without getting dizzy”Synonyms: spinspin aroundreelgyrateMore general revolve, go aroundMore specific whirligig
- fly around“The clothes tumbled in the dryer”“rising smoke whirled in the air”Synonyms: tumblewhirl aroundMore general move
Noun (4)
- confused movement“he was caught up in a whirl of work”“a commotion of people fought for the exits”Synonyms: commotionType of movement, motion
- the shape of something rotating rapidlySynonyms: swirlvortexconvolutionType of round shape
- a usually brief attempt“he took a crack at it”“I gave it a whirl”Synonyms: crackflinggopassofferType of attempt, effort
- the act of rotating rapidly“he gave the crank a spin”“it broke off after much twisting”Synonyms: spintwirltwisttwistingType of rotation, rotary motionKinds pirouette, birling
a state or condition markedly different from the norm
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: OE. whirlen, probably from the Scand.; cf. Icel. & Sw. hvirfla, Dan. hvirvle; akin to D. wervelen, G. wirbeln, freq. of the verb seen in Icel. hverfa to turn. √16. See Wharf, and cf. Warble, Whorl.
1. To turn round rapidly; to cause to rotate with velocity; to make to revolve.
He whirls his sword around without delay.— John Dryden
2. To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving motion; to snatch; to harry. Geoffrey Chaucer
See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, That whirled the prophet up at Chebar flood.— John Milton
The passionate heart of the poet is whirl'd into folly.— Alfred Tennyson
1. To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity; to revolve or rotate with great speed; to gyrate. “The whirling year vainly my dizzy eyes pursue.” Cardinal John Henry Newman
The wooden engine flies and whirls about.— John Dryden
2. To move hastily or swiftly.
But whirled away to shun his hateful sight.— John Dryden
Origin: Cf. Dan. hvirvel, Sw. hvirfvel, Icel. hvirfill the crown of the head, G. wirbel whirl, crown of the head, D. wervel. See Whirl, transitive verb
1. A turning with rapidity or velocity; rapid rotation or circumvolution; quick gyration; rapid or confusing motion; as, the whirl of a top; the whirl of a wheel. “In no breathless whirl.” Cardinal John Henry Newman
The rapid... whirl of things here below interrupt not the inviolable rest and calmness of the noble beings above.— Robert South
2. Anything that moves with a whirling motion.
He saw Falmouth under gray, iron skies, and whirls of March dust.— Thomas Carlyle
3. A revolving hook used in twisting, as the hooked spindle of a rope machine, to which the threads to be twisted are attached.
4. Bot. & Zool. A whorl. See Whorl.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54