whir

[hwur, wur] verb, whirred, whir·ring, noun
verb (used without object)
1.
to go, fly, revolve, or otherwise move quickly with a humming or buzzing sound: An electric fan whirred softly in the corner.
verb (used with object)
2.
to move or transport (a thing, person, etc.) with a whirring sound: The plane whirred them away into the night.
noun
3.
an act or sound of whirring: the whir of wings.
Also, whirr.


Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English quirre (Scots) < Scandinavian; compare Danish hvirre, Norwegian kvirra. See whirl

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
whir or whirr (wɜː) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  a prolonged soft swish or buzz, as of a motor working or wings flapping
2.  a bustle or rush
 
vb , whirs, whirrs, whirring, whirred
3.  to make or cause to make a whir
 
[C14: probably from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian kvirra, Danish hvirre; see whirl]
 
whirr or whirr
 
n
 
vb
 
[C14: probably from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian kvirra, Danish hvirre; see whirl]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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00:10
Whir is one of our favorite verbs.
So is skedaddle. Does it mean:
to run away hurriedly; flee.
to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

whir
c.1400, Scottish, "fling, hurl," probably from O.N. hvirfla, freq. of hverfa "to turn" (see wharf). Cf. Dan. hvirvle, Du. wervelen, Ger. wirbeln "to whirl."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Examples include the whir of an operating disk drive and the click of a key
  being pushed.
Mechanical scream replaced by relatively soothing whir.
But unlike many hunting situations, there was no downed duck to pick up or whir
  of wings as a pheasant flushed.
The city was silent, except for the whir of helicopters.
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