Whirl \Whirl\, v. i. [1913 Webster]

1. To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity; to revolve or rotate with great speed; to gyrate. "The whirling year vainly my dizzy eyes pursue." --J. H. Newman. [1913 Webster]

The wooden engine flies and whirls about. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

2. To move hastily or swiftly. [1913 Webster]

But whirled away to shun his hateful sight. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

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.]

[1913 Webster]

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. "In no breathless whirl." --J. H. Newman. [1913 Webster]

The rapid . . . whirl of things here below interrupt not the inviolable rest and calmness of the noble beings above. --South. [1913 Webster]

2. Anything that moves with a whirling motion. [1913 Webster]

He saw Falmouth under gray, iron skies, and whirls of March dust. --Carlyle. [1913 Webster]

3. A revolving hook used in twisting, as the hooked spindle of a rope machine, to which the threads to be twisted are attached. [1913 Webster]

4. (Bot. & Zool.) A whorl. See Whorl. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

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.]

[1913 Webster]

1. To turn round rapidly; to cause to rotate with velocity; to make to revolve. [1913 Webster]

He whirls his sword around without delay. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

2. To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving motion; to snatch; to harry. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, That whirled the prophet up at Chebar flood. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The passionate heart of the poet is whirl'd into folly. --Tennyson. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

216 Moby Thesaurus words for "whirl": Charybdis, Maelstrom, Sunday drive, ado, advance, agitation, airing, ascend, avert, back, back stream, back up, backflow, backwash, backwater, barrel, bother, botheration, brouhaha, budge, bullet, burst, bustle, centrifugate, centrifuge, change, change place, circle, circuit, circulation, circumvolution, cirrus, clatter, climb, coil, come about, commotion, contort, corkscrew, countercurrent, counterflow, counterflux, crack, crinkle, curl, curlicue, deflect, descend, disturbance, divert, dizzy round, drive, ebb, ebullience, ebullition, eddy, effervescence, embroilment, evolute, feery-fary, ferment, fermentation, fetch about, fidgetiness, fit, flap, fleet, flit, flow, flurry, fluster, flutter, flutteriness, fume, furore, fuss, fussiness, get over, go, go about, go around, go round, go sideways, gulf, gurge, gyrate, gyration, gyre, hassle, heel, helix, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly-burly, hurry, hurry-scurry, intort, involute, joyride, kink, lift, mad round, maelstrom, meander, merry-go-round, moil, mount, move, move over, pell-mell, perturbation, pickup, pirouette, pivot, pivot about, plunge, pop, pother, progress, purl, put about, rat race, reel, refluence, reflux, regress, regurgitation, restlessness, retrogress, ride, ringlet, rise, roll, rotate, rotation, round, round of pleasure, ruction, ruffle, run, scallop, scramble, screw, scroll, serpentine, sheer, shift, shot, sink, slap, slink, snake, soar, spasm, speed, spin, spiral, spurt, stab, stagger, stave, stew, stir, storm, stream, subside, surge, sweat, swim, swing, swing round, swirl, swirling, swivel, tendril, the dizzy rounds, the rounds, to-do, travel, try, tumult, turbulence, turmoil, turn, turn about, turn around, turn round, turn tail, twine, twirl, twist, twist and turn, unquiet, uproar, veer, veer around, volte-face, volute, volution, vortex, wane, whack, wheel, wheel about, whip, whirligig, whirlpool, whirlwind, whish, whisk, whiz, whorl, wind, worm, wring, yeastiness

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

whirl

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

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. ``In no breathless whirl.'' --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["o]l.) A whorl. See Whorl.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Whirl \Whirl\, v. i.

1. To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity; to revolve or rotate with great speed; to gyrate. ``The whirling year vainly my dizzy eyes pursue.'' --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.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)