I. R ˈskərl, chiefly before pause or consonant ˈskər.əl; - R ˈskə̄l or ˈskəil; Scot usually ˈskirl verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English (Scots) skirlen, skrillen, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish skrælla to rattle, bang — more at shrill
intransitive verb
1. : to utter or emit a shrill tone : shriek
2.
a. of a bagpipe : to emit the high shrill tone of the chanter ; also : to give forth music
b. : to play the bagpipe
transitive verb
1. : to give forth (a shrill sound)
2. : to play (music) on the bagpipe
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a shrieking sound : scream
the skirl of a curlew — Vance Palmer
2. : a high shrill sound produced by the chanter of a bagpipe
III. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: origin unknown
: to fly or sweep in a whirl : move or become moved in a twisting, curving, or flurrying path
newspapers and old sacks skirled a little in the gutters — P.D.Boles
IV. noun
( -s )
: something that skirls, is skirled, or is formed by skirling
skirls of dust and wind and crumpled newspapers — Thomas Wolfe