skirl

(skʉrl)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

Scot. to sound out in shrill, piercing tones, as a bagpipe does

Origin: ME (northern) skrille, skyrle, prob. < Scand, as in Norw dial. skrylla, to scream: for IE base see shrill

noun

a shrill sound, as of a bagpipe

See skirl in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb skirled, skirl·ing, skirls

verb, intransitive

To produce a high, shrill, wailing tone. Used of bagpipes.

verb, transitive

To play (a piece) on bagpipes.

noun

The shrill sound made by the chanter pipe of bagpipes.
A shrill wailing sound: “The skirl of a police whistle split the stillness” (Sax Rohmer).

Origin:

Origin: Middle English skrillen, skirlen

Origin: , probably of Scandinavian origin

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