whirl
to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly: The merry-go-round whirled noisily.
to turn about or aside quickly: He whirled and faced his pursuers.
to move, travel, or be carried rapidly along: She whirled along the freeway in her new car.
to feel as though spinning rapidly; reel as from dizziness: My head began to whirl.
to cause to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly.
to send, drive, or carry in a circular or curving course.
to drive, send, or carry along with great or dizzying rapidity.
Obsolete. to hurl.
the act of whirling; rapid rotation or gyration.
a whirling movement; quick turn or swing.
a short drive, run, walk, or the like; spin.
something that whirls; a whirling current or mass.
a rapid round of events, affairs, etc.: a whirl of meetings, conferences, and business lunches.
a state marked by dizziness or a dizzying succession of feelings, thoughts, etc.
an attempt or trial, especially one undertaken tentatively or experimentally: Even if you don't agree with my plan, won't you give it a whirl?
Machinery. whip (def. 26).
Origin of whirl
1Other words for whirl
Other words from whirl
- whirl·er, noun
- whirl·ing·ly, adverb
- out·whirl, verb (used with object)
- un·whirled, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use whirl in a sentence
Slowly they whirled and dipped to the music only they could hear.
The Stacks: John Schulian’s Classic Profile of Newspaper Columnist Mike Royko | John Schulian | January 5, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTEven as they gazed they saw its roof caught up, and whirled off as if it had been a scroll of paper.
The Giant of the North | R.M. BallantyneThey joined in bands of youths and maidens and whirled down the Avenue in Bacchic madness.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeBut the riders whirled along towards Rai Bareilly, and in another quarter of an hour the night would be their best guardian.
The Red Year | Louis TracyWelcome jerked himself away from the book, whirled around on his wooden pin and pointed his knife at the book-shelves.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. Matthews
Clip whirled around, as though he would make off without another word.
Motor Matt's "Century" Run | Stanley R. Matthews
British Dictionary definitions for whirl
/ (wɜːl) /
to spin, turn, or revolve or cause to spin, turn, or revolve
(intr) to turn around or away rapidly
(intr) to have a spinning sensation, as from dizziness, etc
to move or drive or be moved or driven at high speed
the act or an instance of whirling; swift rotation or a rapid whirling movement
a condition of confusion or giddiness: her accident left me in a whirl
a swift round, as of events, meetings, etc
a tumult; stir
informal a brief trip, dance, etc
give something a whirl informal to attempt or give a trial to something
Origin of whirl
1Derived forms of whirl
- whirler, noun
- whirling, adjective
- whirlingly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with whirl
see give something a whirl.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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