whir

or whirr

[ hwur, wur ]
/ ʰwɜr, wɜr /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR whir ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), whirred, whir·ring.

to go, fly, revolve, or otherwise move quickly with a humming or buzzing sound: An electric fan whirred softly in the corner.

verb (used with object), whirred, whir·ring.

to move or transport (a thing, person, etc.) with a whirring sound: The plane whirred them away into the night.

noun

an act or sound of whirring: the whir of wings.

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Origin of whir

1350–1400; Middle English quirre (Scots ) <Scandinavian; compare Danish hvirre,Norwegian kvirra.See whirl

Words nearby whir

whip-tailed, whip-tailed ray, whiptail wallaby, whip up, whipworm, whir, whirl, whirlabout, whirligig, whirligig beetle, whirling dervish
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to whir

sound, fly, swish, hum, move, vibrate, whiz, bustle, swirl, revolve

Example sentences from the Web for whir

British Dictionary definitions for whir

whir

whirr

/ (wɜː) /

noun

a prolonged soft swish or buzz, as of a motor working or wings flapping
a bustle or rush

verb whirs, whirrs, whirring or whirred

to make or cause to make a whir

Word Origin for whir

C14: probably from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian kvirra, Danish hvirre; see whirl
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