whirl

American  

[hwurl, wurl] / ʰwɜrl, wɜrl /

verb (used without object)

1. to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly.

   The merry-go-round whirled noisily.

   Synonyms:

   pirouette, gyrate

2. to turn about or aside quickly.

   He whirled and faced his pursuers.

3. to move, travel, or be carried rapidly along.

   She whirled along the freeway in her new car.

4. to feel as though spinning rapidly; reel as from dizziness.

   My head began to whirl.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly.

   Synonyms:

   wheel, twirl, revolve

2. to send, drive, or carry in a circular or curving course.

3. to drive, send, or carry along with great or dizzying rapidity.

4. Obsolete. to hurl.

noun

1. the act of whirling; rapid rotation or gyration.

   Synonyms:

   revolution, spin

2. a whirling movement; quick turn or swing.

3. a short drive, run, walk, or the like; spin.

4. something that whirls; a whirling current or mass.

5. a rapid round of events, affairs, etc..

   a whirl of meetings, conferences, and business lunches.

6. a state marked by dizziness or a dizzying succession of feelings, thoughts, etc.

7. an attempt or trial, especially one undertaken tentatively or experimentally.

   Even if you don't agree with my plan, won't you give it a whirl?

   Synonyms:

   whack, fling, go, try

8. Machinery. whip.

whirl British  

/ wɜːl /

verb

1. to spin, turn, or revolve or cause to spin, turn, or revolve

2. (intr) to turn around or away rapidly

3. (intr) to have a spinning sensation, as from dizziness, etc

4. to move or drive or be moved or driven at high speed

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noun

1. the act or an instance of whirling; swift rotation or a rapid whirling movement

2. a condition of confusion or giddiness

   her accident left me in a whirl

3. a swift round, as of events, meetings, etc

4. a tumult; stir

5. informal a brief trip, dance, etc

6. informal to attempt or give a trial to something

whirl Idioms  

1. see give something a whirl.

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Other Word Forms

• outwhirl verb (used with object)
• unwhirled adjective
• whirler noun
• whirling adjective
• whirlingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of whirl

1250–1300; Middle English whirlen < Old Norse hvirfla to whirl, akin to Old English hwyrflung turning, revolving, hwyrfel circuit; whorl

Example Sentences

Store workers blow giant colorful bubbles and throw boomerangs around, while jingles from electric toys and whirls from their wheels mingle with the chatter of shoppers’ conversations.

From The Wall Street Journal

Hoffmann’s “Nutcracker,” this beautiful book follows a boy into snowy woods, where he encounters tiny snow dancers and a snow queen who whirl and float on a magical illuminated stage.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bodies collide in a whirl of elbows and flying sneakers.

From Los Angeles Times

The man whirls the woman away from him, only for time to slow.

From Literature

“Spin—and spin! Just like the old days,” he crowed as he whirled into the room.

From Literature

Related Words

• gyrate
• pirouette
• pivot
• revolve
• rotate
• swirl
• twirl
• whir