whir

Or whirr

[hwur, wur]

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.

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

/ wɜː /

noun

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

2. a bustle or rush

verb

1. to make or cause to make a whir

Word History and Origins

Origin of whir¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of whir¹

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

Example Sentences

In Boland's following over, England fell apart in a whir of loose drives.

Read more on BBC

The capital greets us not with wild crowds, but with shadowed buildings and the whir of taxis along San Jerónimo Street.

Read more on Salon

A symphonic mix of an espresso machine’s hiss, a ravenous juicer’s whir and ebullient Spanish welcomed me at my new favorite, Las Olas Cafe.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Overhead, the whir of drones is constant—as many as 10 Russian craft for every Ukrainian one, according to Ukrainian troops.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Next, Doc’s Rube Goldberg-ian breakfast contraption whirs to action with burned toast and a glop of overflowing dog food, implying that he and his dog Einstein have themselves been missing for a while.

Read more on Los Angeles Times