Whirl Meaning

/wɜːl/
B2

Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Listen pronunciation

verbTo rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly.

verbTo have a sensation of spinning or reeling.

Let's give it a whirl.
I'll give it a whirl.
The whirl uprooted trees and tore roofs from homes, Dykema said.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The dancer began to ____ across the stage in a fast spin.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The dry leaves began to ____ around in the wind, creating a beautiful and very colorful display on the ground today.

From Middle English whirlen, contracted from earlier *whirvelen, *whervelen, possibly from Old English *hwyrflian, *hweorflian (attested in hwirflung, hwerflung (“change, vicissitude”)), frequentative form of Old English hweorfan (“to turn”), itself from Proto-West Germanic *hwerban, from Proto-Germanic *hwerbaną (“to turn”); or perhaps from Old Norse hvirfla (“to go round, spin”). Cognate with Dutch wervelen (“to whirl, swirl”), German wirbeln (“to whirl, swirl”), Danish hvirvle (“to whirl”), Swedish virvla (older spelling hvirfla), Albanian vorbull (“a whirl”). Related to whirr and wharve.

"The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon." — 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:
"My brained ^([sic]) whirled as he went on, but yet there was a fearful impression that the worst was not told." — 1861, E. J. Guerin, Mountain Charley, page 13:
"He whirls his sword around without delay." — 1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
"See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, / That whirled the prophet up at Chebar flood." — c. 1630, John Milton, “The Passion”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:
"To-night the winds begin to rise ⁠And roar from yonder dropping day: ⁠The last red leaf is whirl’d away, The rooks are blown about the skies; […]" — 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 24:

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CEFR Practice Quiz
The dancer began to ____ across the stage in a fast spin.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The dry leaves began to ____ around in the wind, creating a beautiful and very colorful display on the ground today.

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