whirl

Whirl is defined as to spin, rotate or move quickly in a circular motion.

(verb)

An example of whirl is for a washing machine to go into the spin cycle.

Whirl means the act of spinning or twirling, or a state of confusion.

(noun)

An example of a whirl is a number of intense events that happen one right after another.

See whirl in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb

to move rapidly in a circular manner or as in an orbit; circle swiftly: couples whirling round the dance floor
to rotate or spin fast; gyrate
to move, go, drive, etc. swiftly
to seem to spin; reel: my head is whirling

Origin: ME whirlen < ON hvirfla, akin to hverfa: see whir

transitive verb

to cause to rotate, revolve, or spin rapidly
to move, carry, drive, etc. with a rotating motion: the wind whirled the leaves
Obsolete to hurl or throw

noun

Origin: ME wherwille < ON hverfill, akin to Ger wirbel

Related Forms:

See whirl in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb whirled, whirl·ing, whirls

verb, intransitive

To revolve rapidly about a center or an axis. See Synonyms at turn.
To rotate or spin rapidly: The dancer whirled across the stage.
To turn rapidly, changing direction; wheel: She whirled around to face him.
To have the sensation of spinning; reel: My head is whirling with data.
To move circularly and rapidly in varied, random directions: The wind whirled across the steppes.

verb, transitive