whirl
pronunciation
How to pronounce whirl in British English:
UK [wɜːl]
How to pronounce whirl in American English:
US [wɜːrl]
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- Noun:
- confused movement
- the shape of something rotating rapidly
- a usually brief attempt
- the act of rotating rapidly
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- Verb:
- turn in a twisting or spinning motion
- cause to spin
- flow in a circular current, of liquids
- revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis
- fly around
Word Origin
- whirl (v.)
- c. 1300, probably from Old Norse hvirfla "to go round, spin," related to hvirfill "circle, ring, crown," and to Old English hweorfan "to turn" (see wharf). Related: Whirled; whirling. Whirlybird "helicopter" is from 1951.
- whirl (n.)
- early 15c., "flywheel of a spindle," from whirl (v.). The meaning "act of whirling" is recorded from late 15c.; figurative sense of "confused activity" is recorded from 1550s. Colloquial sense of "tentative attempt" is attested from 1884, American English.
Example
- 1. Fans whirl above you to keep the warm , humid air moving .
- 2. Britain , though , seems willing to give it a whirl .
- 3. Sofia , bulgaria : fire spinners whirl fire in front of the national theatre
- 4. When in melee form , summons magical axes to whirl around him in a circle , damaging enemies and causing them to have a 60 % chance to miss attacks .