whirl
Use Whirl in a sentence
verb (used without object)
1.
to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly: The merry-go-round whirled noisily.
2.
to turn about or aside quickly: He whirled and faced his pursuers.
3.
to move, travel, or be carried rapidly along: She whirled along the freeway in her new car.
4.
to feel as though spinning rapidly; reel as from dizziness: My head began to whirl.
verb (used with object)
5.
to cause to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly.
6.
to send, drive, or carry in a circular or curving course.
7.
to drive, send, or carry along with great or dizzying rapidity.
8.
Obsolete. to hurl.
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Whirl
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is absquatulate. Does it mean:
| to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly. |
| to flee; abscond: |
noun
9.
the act of whirling; rapid rotation or gyration.
10.
a whirling movement; quick turn or swing.
11.
a short drive, run, walk, or the like; spin.
12.
something that whirls; a whirling current or mass.
13.
a rapid round of events, affairs, etc.: a whirl of meetings, conferences, and business lunches.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English whirlen < Old Norse hvirfla to whirl, akin to Old English hwyrflung turning, revolving, hwyrfel circuit; see whorl
1250–1300; Middle English whirlen < Old Norse hvirfla to whirl, akin to Old English hwyrflung turning, revolving, hwyrfel circuit; see whorl
Related forms
whirl·er, noun
whirl·ing·ly, adverb
out·whirl, verb (used with object)
un·whirled, adjective
Synonyms
1. gyrate, pirouette. 1, 5. revolve, twirl, wheel. 9. spin, revolution. 15. try, go, fling, whack.
1. gyrate, pirouette. 1, 5. revolve, twirl, wheel. 9. spin, revolution. 15. try, go, fling, whack.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To whirl
Collins
World English Dictionary
whirl (wɜːl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to spin, turn, or revolve or cause to spin, turn, or revolve |
| 2. | (intr) to turn around or away rapidly |
| 3. | (intr) to have a spinning sensation, as from dizziness, etc |
| 4. | to move or drive or be moved or driven at high speed |
| —n | |
| 5. | the act or an instance of whirling; swift rotation or a rapid whirling movement |
| 6. | a condition of confusion or giddiness: her accident left me in a whirl |
| 7. | a swift round, as of events, meetings, etc |
| 8. | a tumult; stir |
| 9. | informal a brief trip, dance, etc |
| 10. | informal give something a whirl to attempt or give a trial to something |
| [C13: from Old Norse hvirfla to turn about; related to Old High German wirbil whirlwind] | |
| 'whirler | |
| —n | |
| 'whirling | |
| —adj | |
| 'whirlingly | |
| —adv | |
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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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
whirl
late 13c., probably from O.N. hvirfla "to go round, spin," related to hvirfill "circle, ring, crown," and to O.E. hweorfan "to turn" (see whir). Whirlpool is attested from 1520s, but O.E. had hwyrfepol and wirfelmere; whirlwind is mid-14c., probably on model of O.N. hvirfilvindr.
Whirligig is from mid-15c., of various toys. Whirlybird "helicopter" is from 1951.
whirl
1411, "flywheel of a spindle," from whirl (v.). The meaning "act of whirling" is recorded from c.1480; fig. sense of "confused activity" is recorded from 1552. Colloq. sense of "tentative attempt" is attested from 1884, Amer.Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Example sentences
In a half-second whirl, she can spin around and leave a gang of thugs unconscious.
Planets are believed to emerge from the accretion of particles in a disk of gas and dust as they whirl around the star.
Add blueberries a few at a time and whirl after each addition until thick and creamy.
Mash fruit in a bowl or whirl them in a blender or food processor.
Idioms & Phrases
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