whirl

English

/wɜːl/, /ʍɜːl/, /wɝl/, /ʍɝl/, /ʍɪɾ(ə̯)l/

verb
Definitions
  • (intransitive) To rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly.
  • (intransitive) To have a sensation of spinning or reeling.
  • (transitive) To make something or someone whirl.
  • (transitive) To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving motion; to snatch.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English whirlen inherited from Old English *hweorflian, hweorfan (turn, turn from, wander about, change, be converted, come, depart, roam, move, go about, go, return, turn back, die) inherited from Proto-Germanic *hwerbaną (turn) derived from Old Norse hvirfla (spin, spread, whirl, go round).

Origin

Old Norse

hvirfla

Gloss

spin, spread, whirl, go round

Concept
Semantic Field

Clothing and grooming

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms