twirl

Meaning

Noun

1. A movement where a person spins round elegantly; a pirouette.
2. Any rotating movement; a spin.
3. A little twist of some substance; a swirl.
4. (slang) A prison guard.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To perform a twirl.
2. (transitive) To rotate rapidly.
3. (transitive) To twist round.
4. To pitch.

Synonyms

twist

spin

whirl

turn

rotate

swirl

revolve

coil

curl

twiddle

wind

spiral

twine

kink

gyrate

pivot

twisting

whirlwind

birl

flourish

squiggle

vortex

circle

⭕

whorl

turn around

swivel

wring

fiddle with

mill

move

pinch

ratchet

reel

rim

rotation

round

run

spindle

stir

swing

tornado

🌪️

tour

trim

trimming

troll

🧌

trump up

tumble

tweak

veer

waterspout

Translations

girare

drehen

tournoyer

giro

draaien

wirbeln

kıvrım

ronddraaien

στριφογύρισμα

γυναίκα

mulinare

tourbillonner

verdrehen

στροβιλίζω

girar

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈtwɜːl/

Etymology

Cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk: tvirla

Cognate with Old High German: dweran

Cognate with German: zwirlen

Cognate with Dutch: dwarrelen

Cognate with Icelandic: þyrill

In summary

Of Scandinavian origin, akin to Norwegian Nynorsk tvirla, Old High German dweran (German zwirlen, quirlen), Dutch dwarrelen and Icelandic þyrill; all from Proto-Germanic *þwirilaz (“stirring-stick, whisk”), *þweraną (“to stir”). Or, an alteration of tirl (“to twist”), with influence from whirl.