thirl

[ thurl ]

/ θɜrl /

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verb (used with object) British Dialect.

to pierce.

to thrill.

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Origin of thirl

before 1000; Middle English thirlen,Old English thyrlian, derivative of thyrel hole. See nostril

Words nearby thirl

third space, third stream, Third Way, Third World, Third Worlder, thirl, thirlage, Thirlmere, thirst, thirst trap, thirsty

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for thirl (1 of 2)

thirl¹

/ (θɜːl) /

verb

(tr) dialect

to bore or drill
to thrill

Word Origin for thirl

Old English thyrelian, from thyrel hole; see nostril

British Dictionary definitions for thirl (2 of 2)

thirl²

/ (θɪrl, θɜːl) /

verb

(tr) mainly Scot to enslave; bind

Word Origin for thirl

C16: variant of earlier thrill thrall

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