I. ˈhw]ərl also ˈw], esp before pause or consonant ]ər.əl; ]ə̄l, ]əil\ verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English whirlen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hvirfla to whirl; akin to Middle Dutch wirvel, wervel, warvel bolt for closing a door, hinge, whirlwind, wervelen to turn, Old High German wirbil whirlwind, Old Norse hvirfill circle, ring, crown of the head, hverfa to turn around — more at wharf
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to move or turn in a circle or similar curve : circle
his sister whirls round and round on the carousel — H.N.Maclean
our sun and the stars near it are whirling in roughly circular orbits — B.J.Bok
b. : to move circularly in various or random directions especially with force or speed
the wind … whirled round her in eddies and spirals — J.C.Powys
the dancers whirl about the room
his thoughts were whirling wildly — Morley Callaghan
separated by a wide gulf in which whirled the nothingnesses of training and temperament — S.E.White
2.
a. : to turn on or around an axis like a wheel : spin , revolve , rotate
the potter's wheel whirls at its work
the eddies of the flooding river whirl menacingly
b. : to turn abruptly around or aside : wheel
whirled about to the door — Liam O'Flaherty
the tiger saw the movement and whirled to face me — Edison Marshall
strode away 20 paces, whirled suddenly, and blazed away — C.B.Davis
c. : to turn around while bent considerably out of true through the effect of centrifugal force
3. : to pass, move, or go quickly : speed , rush
the landlady whirled down the hallway — J.B.Clayton
the carriages used to whirl by the house
the General Court whirled into special session — J.R.Aswell & E.J.Michelson
4. : to become giddy or dizzy : reel
all of a sudden my head whirled, and the lights went out and I fell — Dorothy Baker
transitive verb
1. : to drive, impel, or convey with or as if with a rotary motion
cottonwoods … snapped off and were whirled away — American Guide Series: Tennessee
the pair jumped into a car and were whirled away — S.H.Adams
has been whirled … to the height of fame — T.H.White b.1915
2.
a. : to cause to turn usually rapidly on or around an axis : rotate
the catapult officer whirled one finger above his head — J.A.Michener
subjects will be whirled at speed approaching 1000 miles an hour — All Hands
whirled the helpless characters around while war or peace was being decided — Henri Peyre
b. : to cause to turn abruptly around or aside
caught a swift purple gaze of eyes as she whirled her head — Zane Grey
3. obsolete : to throw or hurl violently with a revolving motion
a sling to whirl stones
4. archaic : to cause to become giddy
the sight of the vast canyon whirls his brain
5. : twist 5
Synonyms: see turn
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English whirle, from whirlen, v.
1. : whorl 1
2.
a. : a rapid rotating or circling movement : spin , gyration
the whirl of the buzz saw — American Guide Series: Louisiana
gave the crank a whirl — John Hermann
snatched up a black net scarf … and with a sudden whirl draped herself — Winifred Bambrick
guide vanes add whirl to the working fluid — E.L.Hunsaker & W.A.Stoner
b. : something undergoing such a movement : vortex , eddy
the whirls of the pool
tropical cyclones are small cyclonic whirls — Sverre Petterssen
3.
a. : a confused tumult : commotion , bustle
had plunged into a whirl of work — Will Irwin
a whirl of people riding or walking to the market place — Lamp
we avoided the gay social whirl … because we wanted something more solid from life — Gráinne Andrews
b. : a confused or disturbed mental state : turmoil
passed his days in a whirl of febrile excitement — Emily Skeel
that these distinguished men were calling upon me quite set me in a whirl — David Fairchild
my mind is in a whirl all the time — Arnold Bennett
4. : rapid, intense, or impelled movement : rush
the whirl of vehicles fills the streets
a ten-day whirl through allied capitals — N.Y.Times
had forgotten his lunch and returned in a whirl to get it — Agnes S. Turnbull
5. : a whorl of parts on a plant or animal : verticil
6. : a hook or reel of a rope winch by which the strands of a rope are twisted ; also : the winch to which the hook or reel is attached
7. : an experimental or brief attempt : try
there had been her own veto of a career as a fashion designer after a trial whirl — Current Biography
took a whirl at the intellectual life — Kay Rogers
pleaded with us to give whale steak a whirl — New Yorker