whirl
Americanverb (used without object)
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to turn around, spin, or rotate rapidly.
The merry-go-round whirled noisily.
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to turn about or aside quickly.
He whirled and faced his pursuers.
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to move, travel, or be carried rapidly along.
She whirled along the freeway in her new car.
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to feel as though spinning rapidly; reel as from dizziness.
My head began to whirl.
verb (used with object)
noun
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the act of whirling; rapid rotation or gyration.
- Synonyms:
- revolution, spin
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a whirling movement; quick turn or swing.
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a short drive, run, walk, or the like; spin.
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something that whirls; a whirling current or mass.
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a rapid round of events, affairs, etc..
a whirl of meetings, conferences, and business lunches.
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a state marked by dizziness or a dizzying succession of feelings, thoughts, etc.
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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?
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Machinery. whip.
verb
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to spin, turn, or revolve or cause to spin, turn, or revolve
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(intr) to turn around or away rapidly
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(intr) to have a spinning sensation, as from dizziness, etc
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to move or drive or be moved or driven at high speed
noun
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the act or an instance of whirling; swift rotation or a rapid whirling movement
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a condition of confusion or giddiness
her accident left me in a whirl
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a swift round, as of events, meetings, etc
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a tumult; stir
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informal a brief trip, dance, etc
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informal to attempt or give a trial to something
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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whirlsimple
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whirlssimple
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have whirledperfect
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has whirledperfect
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am whirlingprogressive
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are whirlingprogressive
-
is whirlingprogressive
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have been whirlingperfect progressive
-
has been whirlingperfect progressive
Past
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whirledsimple
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had whirledperfect
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was whirlingprogressive
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were whirlingprogressive
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had been whirlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of whirl
1250–1300; Middle English whirlen < Old Norse hvirfla to whirl, akin to Old English hwyrflung turning, revolving, hwyrfel circuit; see whorl
Explanation
A whirl is a quick spin, and when something whirls, it rotates fast. You can also use it to mean "a try." Hang-gliding? Snake-charming? "Sure," you say. "I'll give it a whirl." Both whirl and spin are words that mean "turn in circles" but that have also come to mean trying something briefly––you might take a car for a spin or take a turn hiking in the Himalayas. All imply an attitude so free-wheeling, so easy, so devil-may-care that it might make your head spin. Or whirl.
Vocabulary lists containing whirl
English Words Derived from Old Norse
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"There Will Come Soft Rains" by Ray Bradbury (1950)
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Now, from among the resulting seedling generations, ever more refined versions grace Issima’s online catalog, including the new Tilt a Whirl.
From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2021
Whirl titles from TV to film to stage.
From Washington Post • Oct. 29, 2017
Whirl your head and spot a gloriously ’80s red-and-pink feather ensemble; take a few steps and savor a simple, stunning rainbow of a gown.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2016
Franklin said Whirl had left behind an item, which he would not disclose, that linked the man to the crime.
From Chicago Tribune • Aug. 18, 2014
“No, but maybe they know you,” Adria said, indifferently slurping her Strawberry Whirl.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
