/ swɜːl; NAmE swɜːrl/ verb , noun
■ verb
[usually + adv. / prep. ] to move around quickly in a circle; to make sth do this :
[ v ]
The water swirled down the drain.
A long skirt swirled around her ankles.
swirling mists
[ vn ]
He took a mouthful of water and swirled it around his mouth.
■ noun
1.
the movement of sth that twists and turns in different directions and at different speeds
2.
a pattern or an object that twists in circles
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (originally Scots in the sense whirlpool ): perhaps of Low German or Dutch origin; compare with Dutch zwirrelen to whirl.