birr

¹ American  

[bur] / bɜr /

noun

1. force; energy; vigor.

2. emphasis in statement, speech, etc.

3. a whirring sound.

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verb (used without object)

1. to move with or make a whirring sound.

birr ² American  

[beer] / bɪər /

noun

plural

birr

1. a paper money, silver coin, and monetary unit of Ethiopia, equal to 100 cents: replaced the Ethiopian dollar in 1976.

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birr ¹ British  

/ bɜː /

verb

1. to make or cause to make a whirring sound

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noun

1. a whirring sound

2. force, as of wind

3. vigour; energy

birr ² British  

/ bɜː /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Ethiopia, divided into 100 cents

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Etymology

Origin of birr

1275–1325; Middle English bire, bur, Old English byre strong wind; cognate with Icelandic byrr favorable wind; akin to bear ¹

Example Sentences

Monday's announcement saw Ethiopia’s currency, the birr, lose nearly a third of its value against the dollar.

From BBC • Jul. 30, 2024

His bail was set at 60,000 Ethiopian birr, about $1,170, according to his lawyer.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 1, 2022

She said she was not told why she was detained, paid 3,000 birr to a policeman and was released five days later.

From Reuters • Jul. 15, 2021

He added that citizens who receive remittances are “expected to convert their foreign currency into birr right away.”

From Slate • Dec. 23, 2019

There was nae soond but the wag-at-the-wa' tick-tickin', like an artifeecial cricket with the busiest, conthiest birr, an' my wairs gaun clickaty-click, when I heard a cheep, cheep.

From A Practical Novelist by Davidson, John

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