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whirlmore about whirl

whirl

 

  4  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Whirl  \Whirl\,  n.  [Cf.  Dan.  hvirvel  Sw  hvirfvel  Icel. 
  hvirfill  the  crown  of  the  head,  G.  wirbel  whirl,  crown  of  the 
  head,  D.  wervel.  See  {Whirl},  v.  t.] 
  1.  A  turning  with  rapidity  or  velocity;  rapid  rotation  or 
  circumvolution;  quick  gyration;  rapid  or  confusing  motion; 
  as  the  whirl  of  a  top  the  whirl  of  a  wheel.  ``In  no 
  breathless  whirl.''  --J.  H.  Newman. 
 
  The  rapid  .  .  .  whirl  of  things  here  below  interrupt 
  not  the  inviolable  rest  and  calmness  of  the  noble 
  beings  above.  --South. 
 
  2.  Anything  that  moves  with  a  whirling  motion. 
 
  He  saw  Falmouth  under  gray,  iron  skies,  and  whirls 
  of  March  dust.  --Carlyle. 
 
  3.  A  revolving  hook  used  in  twisting,  as  the  hooked  spindle 
  of  a  rope  machine,  to  which  the  threads  to  be  twisted  are 
  attached. 
 
  4.  (Bot.  &  Zo["o]l.)  A  whorl.  See  {Whorl}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Whirl  \Whirl\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Whirled};  p.  pr  &  vb  n. 
  {Whirling}.]  [OE.  whirlen,  probably  from  the  Scand.;  cf 
  Icel.  &  Sw  hvirfla  Dan.  hvirvle  akin  to  D.  wervelen  G. 
  wirbeln  freq.  of  the  verb  seen  in  Icel.  hverfa  to  turn. 
  [root]16.  See  {Wharf},  and  cf  {Warble},  {Whorl}.] 
  1.  To  turn  round  rapidly;  to  cause  to  rotate  with  velocity; 
  to  make  to  revolve. 
 
  He  whirls  his  sword  around  without  delay.  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  To  remove  or  carry  quickly  with  or  as  with  a  revolving 
  motion;  to  snatch;  to  harry.  --Chaucer. 
 
  See  see  the  chariot,  and  those  rushing  wheels,  That 
  whirled  the  prophet  up  at  Chebar  flood.  --Milton. 
 
  The  passionate  heart  of  the  poet  is  whirl'd  into 
  folly.  --Tennyson. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Whirl  \Whirl\,  v.  i. 
  1.  To  be  turned  round  rapidly;  to  move  round  with  velocity; 
  to  revolve  or  rotate  with  great  speed;  to  gyrate.  ``The 
  whirling  year  vainly  my  dizzy  eyes  pursue.''  --J.  H. 
  Newman. 
 
  The  wooden  engine  flies  and  whirls  about  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  To  move  hastily  or  swiftly. 
 
  But  whirled  away  to  shun  his  hateful  sight. 
  --Dryden. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  whirl 
  n  1:  confused  movement;  "he  was  caught  up  in  a  whirl  of  work";  "a 
  commotion  of  people  fought  for  the  exits"  [syn:  {commotion}] 
  2:  the  shape  of  something  rotating  rapidly  [syn:  {swirl},  {vortex}, 
  {convolution}] 
  3:  a  usually  brief  attempt;  "he  took  a  crack  at  it";  "I  gave  it 
  a  whirl"  [syn:  {crack},  {fling},  {go},  {pass},  {offer}] 
  4:  the  act  of  rotating  rapidly;  "he  gave  the  crank  a  spin";  "it 
  broke  off  after  much  twisting"  [syn:  {spin},  {twirl},  {twist}, 
  {twisting}] 
  v  1:  turn  in  a  twisting  or  spinning  motion;  "The  leaves  swirled 
  in  the  autumn  wind"  [syn:  {twirl},  {swirl},  {twiddle}] 
  2:  cause  to  spin;  "spin  a  coin"  [syn:  {birl},  {spin},  {twirl}] 
  3:  flow  in  a  circular  current,  of  liquids  [syn:  {eddy},  {purl}, 
  {gurge},  {whirlpool},  {swirl}] 
  4:  revolve  quickly  and  repeatedly  around  one's  own  axis;  "The 
  dervishes  whirl  around  and  around  without  getting  dizzy" 
  [syn:  {spin},  {spin  around},  {reel},  {gyrate}] 
  5:  fly  around  as  of  paper  on  the  sidewalk,  or  clothes  in  a 
  dryer,  or  rising  smoke  in  the  wind  [syn:  {skirl},  {tumble}, 
  {whirl  around}]




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