whir

American  

[hwur, wur] / ʰwɜr, wɜr /

Or whirr

verb (used without object)

whirred, whirring

1. to go, fly, revolve, or otherwise move quickly with a humming or buzzing sound.

   An electric fan whirred softly in the corner.

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verb (used with object)

whirred, whirring

1. to move or transport (a thing, person, etc.) with a whirring sound.

   The plane whirred them away into the night.

noun

1. an act or sound of whirring.

   the whir of wings.

whir British  

/ wɜː /

noun

1. a prolonged soft swish or buzz, as of a motor working or wings flapping

2. a bustle or rush

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verb

1. to make or cause to make a whir

Etymology

Origin of whir

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

Explanation

The softly vibrating sound of something moving fast is a whir. The whir of a hummingbird's wings up close sounds a lot like a buzzing insect. Whir is one of those words like buzz, clink, and oink that sound exactly like what they mean; this effect is called onomatopoeia. You can use this one as a noun or a verb, so while your ceiling fan whirs overhead on a hot day, the whir of insects reminds you to close the window screen.

Example Sentences

Whir, pause, kachung, went the robot as it delivered another paper.

From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer

"Whir, whir," went the wheel, so quickly that the flax could not collect its thoughts.

From Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales Second Series by Andersen, H. C. (Hans Christian)

"Where the deities, avid of Is-ness,    Resurge from the Flivvers that Were, While the wild Chaotical Whizness    Gives place to a Cosmic Whir, "Do they relish this josh of the josses?

From Hermione's Group of Thinkers by Marquis, Don

Whir, hwėr, n. a sound from rapid whirling.—v.i. to whirl round with a noise.—v.t.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various