thirl

[ thurl ]
/ θɜrl /

verb (used with object) British Dialect.

to pierce.
to thrill.

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a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look.
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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-party insurance, third-party software, third-rate, thirdhand, thirdstream, thirl, thirlage, thirlmere, thirst, thirst trap, thirsty
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for thirl (1 of 2)

thirl1
/ (θɜːl) /

verb

(tr) dialect
  1. to bore or drill
  2. 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