See Also: whirr(1)(dictionary)
whirr(2)(dictionary)
whirr(dictionary)

whirr(2) (iou)



whirr verb, interjection, & adverb. Also whir, infl. -rr-. LME.
[Prob. of Scandinavian origin (cf. Danish hvirre, Norwegian kvirra, Swedish dial. hvirra) from unrecorded Old Norse verb rel. to hvirfill, hvirfla: see WHIRL noun, verb. Later prob. also imit. Cf. WHIRR noun, HURRY verb.]
A. verb.
verb trans. Throw with violence and noise; fling, hurl. LME-E17.
verb intrans. & (rare) trans. Move swiftly with a whirr. LME.
R. K. Narayan Bats were whirring about.
verb intrans. Emit a whirr; dial. growl, purr. E18.
A. Burgess The clock whirred and got ready to strike.
b. interjection & adverb. Repr. a whirr or whirring sound; with a whirr. E17.
Disraeli Whirr! the exploded cork whizzed through the air. R. Frame Taking photographs with a long lens...Click-whirr-click, click.
whirring noun the action of the verb; an instance of this; a whirr: L16.