| 释义 |
▪ I. † birl, v.1 Obs.
[Etymology unknown; perhaps two words: with the latter quot. cf. pirl.]
trans. To prick, pierce, or stab; to cover with punctures.
c1400Destr. Troy xxii. 9061 Mony birlt on the brest, & the backe þirlet. 1552Huloet, Birled, powldred, or spangled, clauus [ed. 1572 clauatus].
▪ II. birl, v.2 Sc.
(bɜːl, Sc. bɪrl)
[A modern word: apparently onomatopœic; having probably association with birr, whirr, whirl, hurl, and Sc. dirl, pirl, in all of which there is a reference to vibration or rotation and its sound.]
1. intr. To move on with rotatory motion, as a rifle bullet; also fig.
1789D. Davidson Seasons 39 (Jam.) Now through the air the auld boy birl'd.
2. To revolve or rotate rapidly and with characteristic noise.
1790Morison Poems 6 (Jam.) The temper pin she gi'es a tirl, An' spins but slow, yet seems to birl. 1806R. Jamieson Pop. Ball. II. 356 (Jam.) Coming frae the hungry hill, He hears the quernie birlin.
3. trans. To cause anything to rotate rapidly; to spin (a coin in the air or on the table); hence to toss a coin on the table as one's contribution to a joint fund, to contribute one's share.
1724Ramsay Poems I. 262 Now settled gossies..Did for fresh bickers birle. a1774Fergusson Cauler Oyst. Poems (1845) 8 There we adjourn wi' hearty foulk To birle our bodles. 1818Scott Rob Roy xxviii, I'll pay for another..and then we'll birl our bawbees a' round. 1879Jamieson Sc. Dict. s.v. Birl, Children put half-pence on their fingers to birl them..in the low game of Pitch-and-toss. |