swirl

Meaning

Verb

1. (ambitransitive) To twist or whirl, as an eddy.
2. To be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl.
3. (figuratively) To circulate.
4. (dated) To mingle interracially.

Noun

1. A whirling eddy.
2. A twist or coil of something.
3. The upward rushing of a fish through the water to take the bait.
4. (dated) Interracial mingling (e.g. dating, sex, marriage, etc.).

Synonyms

whirl

eddy

whirlpool

curl

vortex

twirl

spin

revolve

twiddle

convolution

rotate

wind round

spiral

turn around

twist

rise

whirlwind

purl

wind

gyrate

wreathe

scurry

staggers

stir

swing

swivel

troll

🧌

billow

turbine

turbulence

turbulent flow

turn

vertigo

waft

wave

👋

whorl

wreath

mill about

whirl around

tumble

clew

clue

coil

dispersed

dizziness

drift

eddy current

flutter

gargle

get around

Translations

tourbillon

Wirbel

remolino

wervelen

kolken

redemoinho

warrelen

arremolinarse

wirbeln

dwarrelen

Strudel

tourbillonner

remous

remolí

strudeln

Pronounced as (IPA)

/swɜːl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: swirlen

Cognate with Scots: swirl

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: svirla

Cognate with Swedish: sorla

Cognate with Dutch: zwirrelen

Cognate with Western Frisian: swiere

Cognate with Dutch: zwieren

Cognate with German: schwirren

Cognate with Swedish: svirra

Cognate with Danish: svirre

Cognate with English: swarm

In summary

From Middle English swirlen (“to eddy, swirl”), probably from Old Norse *svirla (“to swirl”), a frequentative form of Old Norse sverra (“to swing, twirl”). Cognate with Scots swirl, sworl (“to eddy, swirl”), Norwegian Nynorsk svirla (“to whirl around; swirl”), Swedish sorla (“to murmur, buzz”), Dutch zwirrelen (“to swirl”). Compare also West Frisian swiere (“to reel, whirl”), Dutch zwieren (“to reel, swing around”), German Low German swirren (“to whizz, whirl or buzz around”), German schwirren (“to whirr, whizz, buzz”), Swedish svirra (“to whirr about, buzz, hum”), Danish svirre (“to whizz, whirr”). Related to English swarm.