■ verb move or cause to move rapidly round and round.
↘move rapidly.
↘(of the head or mind) seem to spin round.
■ noun
1》 a rapid movement round and round.
2》 frantic activity: the mad social ~.
3》 a sweet or biscuit with a spiral shape: a hazelnut ~.
Phrases
give something a ~ informal give something a try.
in a ~ in a state of confusion.
Derivatives
~er noun
~ing adjective
~ingly adverb
Origin
ME: the verb prob. from ON hvirfla 'turn about'; the noun partly from Mid. Low Ger., MDu. wervel 'spindle', or from ON hvirfill 'circle', from a Gmc base meaning 'rotate'.