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birl

[burl]

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verb (used with object)

Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering. to cause (a floating log) to rotate rapidly by treading upon it.

British. to spin or cause to rotate.

verb (used without object)

Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering. to cause a floating log to rotate rapidly by treading on it.

British.

to move or rotate rapidly.

Informal. to spend money freely.

Informal. to gamble.

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Birl is one of our favorite verbs.

So is subtilize. Does it mean:

to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.

to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.

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noun

British Informal. an attempt; a gamble.

Origin:
1715–25; perhaps blend of birr¹ and whirl, influenced, in some senses, by birle

Related forms

birl·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To birl

Collins

World English Dictionary

birl¹ (bɜːl, Scottish bɪrl)

—vb
1.	(Scot) to spin; twirl
2.	(US), (Canadian) to cause (a floating log) to spin using the feet while standing on it, esp as a sport among lumberjacks

—n
3.	a variant spelling of burl

[C18: probably imitative and influenced by whirl and hurl]

'birling¹

—n

birl² (bɜːl, Scottish bɪrl)

—vb
	archaic (Scot) to ply (one's guests, etc) with drink

[Old English byrelian; related to byrele cup-bearer]

burl or birl² (bɜːl)

—n
1.	(Scot), (Austral), (NZ) an attempt; try (esp in the phrase give it a burl)
2.	(Austral), (NZ) a ride in a car

[C20: perhaps from birl¹ in the Scot sense: a twist or turn]

birl or birl²

—n

[C20: perhaps from birl¹ in the Scot sense: a twist or turn]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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birling

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