whirl : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: whirl	by the DICT Development Group
4 results for whirl
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
whirl n confused movement; "he was caught up in a whirl of work"; "a commotion of people fought for the exits" Synonym(s): whirl, commotion the shape of something rotating rapidly Synonym(s): whirl, swirl, vortex, convolution a usually brief attempt; "he took a crack at it"; "I gave it a whirl" Synonym(s): crack, fling, go, pass, whirl, offer the act of rotating rapidly; "he gave the crank a spin"; "it broke off after much twisting" Synonym(s): spin, twirl, twist, twisting, whirl v turn in a twisting or spinning motion; "The leaves swirled in the autumn wind" Synonym(s): twirl, swirl, twiddle, whirl cause to spin; "spin a coin" Synonym(s): whirl, birl, spin, twirl flow in a circular current, of liquids Synonym(s): eddy, purl, whirlpool, swirl, whirl revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis; "The dervishes whirl around and around without getting dizzy" Synonym(s): spin, spin around, whirl, reel, gyrate fly around; "The clothes tumbled in the dryer"; "rising smoke whirled in the air" Synonym(s): whirl, tumble, whirl around
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. [bd]The whirling year vainly my dizzy eyes pursue.[b8] --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 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. [bd]In no breathless whirl.[b8] --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[94]l.) A whorl. See {Whorl}.