twirln.
/twəːl/, U.S. /twərl/ a. The action or an act of twirling, or the condition of being twirled; a rapid whirling or spinning; a twist; a spin; a whirl; also figurative.
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the world > movement > motion in specific manner > revolution or rotation > [noun] > twirling > an act of
twirl1598
tirl1790
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Giro,..a twirle.
1700 T. Brown Amusem. Serious & Comical xi. 136 A Grave Old Gentleman..gave his Whiskers a Twirl.
1709–10 R. Steele Tatler No. 128. ⁋4 The dextrous Twirl of your Mop.
1775 J. Adair Hist. Amer. Indians 400 He commonly sends it [ball] the right course, by an artful sharp twirl.
1818 T. Moore Fudge Family in Paris v. 2 Like a tee-totum, I'm all in a twirl.
1827 R. Southey Devil's Walk x Satan gave thereat his tail A twirl of admiration.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. viii. 124 He performed..such spins and twirls as filled the company with astonishment.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. (1856) xiv. 106 A ballet-dancer in full twirl.
b. Anything that twirls or is twirled; †a reel, winch (obsolete); each of the whorls of a shell; a curved line. Also figurative. steam twirl, a revolving steam-heated cylinder for mixing materials in soap-making ( Cent. Dict., Supp. 1909).
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society > occupation and work > equipment > lifting or hoisting equipment > [noun] > winch or capstan
windas1293
wind1399
windlassc1400
fern1546
stow?1549
capstock1551
winch1577
draw-beam1585
wind-beam1585
winder1585
capstring1609
crab1627
guindall1628
gin1632
Jack1686
screw engine1688
twirl1688
moulineta1706
jack roll1708
wind-lifta1734
whim1738
stowce1747
whim-engine1759
macaroni gin1789
whimsy1789
winze1839
jack roller1843
wink1847
winding engine1858
fusee-windlass1874
come-along1891
the world > food and drink > hunting > fishing > fishing-tackle > reel > [noun]
troll1570
winch1662
reel1688
twirl1688
1688 R. Holme Acad. Armory (1905) iii. xxii. 277/2 An Instrument called a Twerle, or Line Reeles: It is to wind a long line of a fishing Rod vpon.
1696 Philos. Trans. 1695–7 (Royal Soc.) 19 188 The inner Twirls of which Shell were preserved entire.
?1715 M. Davies Present & Primitive State Arianism 12 Athanasius's Creed is a Twirle of Words.
a1728 J. Woodward Attempt Nat. Hist. Fossils Eng. (1729) ii. 37 The Twirl in this is different from that of the others;..the Twirls turning from the Right~hand to the left.
1841 T. Carlyle Baillie in Crit. & Misc. Ess. (1857) IV. 230 Not a twirl in that cramp penmanship.
c. Criminals' slang. A skeleton key. Cf. twirler n. 2.
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society > occupation and work > equipment > building and constructing equipment > fastenings > [noun] > key > skeleton key or picklock
picklock1567
wrester1591
picklock key1609
gilk1610
gilt1667
ginny1669
dub1699
false key1701
screwa1790
skeleton key1810
twirl1879
skeleton1884
pick1890
twirler1921
1879 Autobiogr. of Thief in Macmillan's Mag. Oct. 502/2 It was now that I got acquainted with the use of twirls (skeleton-keys).
1923 J. C. Goodwin Sidelights on Criminal Matters xxvi. 165 In the room Bill cracked with his twirls we piped a pater.
1980 P. Kinsley Vatchman Switch x. 82 She scarcely heard him open the old lock..with the set of ‘twirls’.
d. slang. A prison warder.
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society > authority > punishment > imprisonment > prisoner > [noun] > jailer
jailerc1290
prisonera1325
officer?1387
claviculer1447
javeler?c1450
key turner1606
baston1607
twistkey1617
prison keeper1623
detainer1647
prison officer1649
turnkey1655
imprisoner1656
phylacist1656
cipier1671
wardsman1683
goodman1698
prison guard1722
screw1812
dungeoner1817
dubsman1839
cell-keeper1841
prison warder1854
warder1855
dubs1882
twirl1891
hack1914
correction officer1940
1891 J. Bent Criminal Life 272 Will you go and tell Dutch Doll to come up to try and get me a right twirl (good warder)... There is a twirl here from another stir.
1933 ‘G. Ingram’ ‘Stir’ xi. 160 I'm standing orderly on this landing and the twirl'll do anything for me.
1962 John o' London's 25 Jan. 82/2 Prison officers..are sometimes referred to as twirls.
e. A cake in the shape of a twirl.
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the world > food and drink > food > dishes and prepared food > cake > [noun] > a cake > twirl-shaped cake
twirl1973
1973 E.-J. Bahr Nice Neighbourhood ii. 20 My Viennese aunt's recipe for butter twirls.
1979 M. Ingate Tomb of Flowers i. 8 All kinds of rolls and buns..twirls that went round and round with currants in between.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
twirlv.1
/twəːl/, U.S. /twərl/ 1.
a. intransitive. To rotate rapidly, to spin; to be whirled round or about; also to turn round quickly so as to face or point the other way; also figurative of the mind or head: to be in a whirl, be confused or giddy.
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the world > movement > motion in specific manner > revolution or rotation > revolve or rotate [verb (intransitive)] > twirl
twirl1598
to turn around1642
mirla1838
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Girare,..to twirle about, to wander.
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Girellare, to twirle or gire about.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Pirouetter, to whirle, twirle, turne swiftly about.
1621 G. Markham Hungers Preuention 117 Vpon the least touch it will twerle and tourne as round as any Scopperill.
1639 S. Du Verger tr. J.-P. Camus Admirable Events 307 A Labyrinth where mens spirits twirle about and stray into acts so unreasonable, that they end in folly.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 466. ⁋6 Such Impertinents as fly, hop, caper, tumble, twirl,..and..play a thousand Pranks.
1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Iliad in Iliad & Odyssey I. xxiii. 1047 His staff That twirling flies.
1792 F. Burney Let. May in Jrnls. & Lett. (1972) I. 154 A grave man's voice behind me, said, ‘Is not that Miss Burney?’ I twirled round, & saw the Bishop of Dromore.
1830 W. Scott Lett. Demonol. & Witchcraft viii. 235 Dost thou not twirl like a calf that hath the turn?
1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps i. xx. 142 The [compass] needle..sometimes twirling swiftly round.
1879 G. Meredith Egoist III. xi. 240 My head twirls; I did unwisely to come out.
b. The verb-stem used adverbially.
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1806 R. Bloomfield Wild Flowers 2 Twirl went his stick.
2.
a. transitive. To cause to rotate or spin; to turn (an object) round rapidly; to turn about in the hands; to spin between the finger and thumb, etc.; to twiddle idly or playfully.
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the world > movement > motion in specific manner > revolution or rotation > revolve or rotate [verb (transitive)] > twirl
thwerl1490
snoove1513
thirl1582
twirla1640
drill1681
trundlea1756
twizzle1788
a1640 F. Beaumont et al. Loves Cure iii. iii, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Rrrrr4/2 Her sighes powerfull as the violent North, Like a light feather twirle me round about.
1646 H. More Democritus Platonissans 6 'Bout which..are hurld [the planets]..round on their own axes twurld.
1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. i. 55 Hairs..are..angular and corner'd, which you may even perceive by your fingers, by twirling a Horse~hair in them.
1716 J. Gay Trivia ii. 40 When..dexterous Damsels twirle the sprinkling Mop.
1812 H. Smith & J. Smith Rejected Addr. 52 Roll thy hoop, and twirl thy tops.
1816 S. T. Coleridge Christabel i. 6 There is not wind enough to twirl The one red leaf.
1832 G. R. Porter Treat. Manuf. Porcelain & Glass 184 The workman then dexterously twirls the punt.., the glass yields to the centrifugal impulse.
1871 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (1879) II. v. 57 A boy twirls round his head a bullet at the end of a string.
b. figurative. to twirl (a person) round one's finger: cf. to turn (a person) round one's finger at finger n. Phrases 4i, twiddle v.1 2b.
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society > authority > control > [verb (transitive)] > have complete control over
windc1374
to bring (a person) above the thumb1469
to have to mastery1480
to have at one's beck1530
to turn and wind1557
to bring any one to, or have him at, one's bent1575
to turn over the thumb1603
to lead in a stringc1616
to hold at school1647
to wind (a person, etc.) round one's (little) finger1698
to twirl (a person) round one's finger1748
to twist (a person) round one's finger1780
to play with ——1827
to have (one) on toast1886
to have (got) by the balls1918
to have the wood onc1926
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [verb (transitive)] > exploit or take advantage of > specifically a person
to prey upon1610
impose1667
picaroon1681
live1712
to twirl (a person) round one's finger1748
to get over ——1784
exploit1838
to play (it) low down (on)1864
to avail upona1871
pole1906
to put on1958
1748 S. Richardson Clarissa III. xii. 85 Who would not wish to outwit such girls, and to be able to twirl them round his finger?
c. To turn (one's fingers or thumbs) rapidly about one another; spec. to twirl one's thumbs, as an idle occupation when one has nothing to do. Cf. twiddle v.1 2c.
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the world > action or operation > inaction > idleness, lack of occupation or activity > be idle or unoccupied [verb (intransitive)]
emptyeOE
to tell the clock1527
idle1668
to kick one's heels1703
twirl1777
gammer1788
to twiddle one's thumbs, or fingers1846
to make (also do) kef1852
goof1932
doss1937
to sit on one's hands1939
to bugger about ——1946
to spin one's wheels1960
1777 F. Burney Let. 27 Mar. in Early Diary, Lett. (1990) II. 225 Dr. Johnson..has a strange method of frequently twirling his Fingers, & twisting his Hands.
1816 Brief Remarks Eng. Manners 26 ‘What can I say?’ ‘Oh! any thing is better than sitting twirling your thumbs like a fool.’
1833 H. Martineau Manch. Strike (new ed.) vii. 77 Sitting down demurely..and twirling his thumbs.
1864 M. E. Braddon Henry Dunbar iii. 23 Bad thoughts..come fastest when a fellow sits twirling his thumbs.
d. transferred. To shake out or sprinkle by or as by twirling a mop.
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the world > matter > liquid > liquid flow > action or process of sprinkling > sprinkle liquid or something with liquid [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle liquid
sprengeOE
springa1387
berainc1420
twirl1763
sprint1855
the world > space > relative position > arrangement or fact of being arranged > state of being scattered or dispersed > scatter [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle
warpc1000
sprengeOE
strenkc1175
springa1387
bespring1387
sprinkc1390
sprinklea1400
strinklec1400
springle?a1425
sprinkle?a1425
sprainc1440
bespreng1496
oversprinkle?1548
overstrew1570
besprent1573
insperse1587
insperge1599
asperse1607
besprink1609
disparple?1615
spark1637
swiggle1683
twirl1763
sparkle1787
bespatter1813
spray1829
1763 C. Churchill Ghost iv. 129 Those, who Physic twirl, Full fraught with death, from ev'ry curl.
1842 J. L. Motley Diary 18 Jan. in Corr. (1889) I. iv. 117 The archbishop with a little mop or swab twirling water on all the dignitaries.
3. To twist spirally (threads, etc.); now esp. to twist (the moustache).
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the world > space > shape > curvature > coil > [verb (transitive)] > twist spirally
writheOE
wethe1398
wind1398
withe1398
turna1450
cralla1475
twirk1599
twirla1625
twire1628
twist1714
wisp1753
twistle1788
twizzle1788
screw1834
twistify1835
a1625 J. Fletcher Mad Lover ii. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. B3v/2 Ile take him And twirle his neck about.
1631 B. Jonson Bartholmew Fayre ii. iii. 21 in Wks. II Neuer tuske, nor twirle your dibble.
1728 J. Morgan Compl. Hist. Algiers I. iv. 271 Sir, said he,..twirling his starched Mustachio, I am the Cavallero [etc.].
1791 W. Cowper tr. Homer Odyssey in Iliad & Odyssey II. vi. 379 Twirling her fleecy threads Tinged with sea-purple.
1882 ‘Ouida’ In Maremma I. 169 Joconda was silent, as she twirled her flax.
1894 F. M. Elliot Rom. Gossip iv. 121 He twirled his long moustache.
4. To move or cast with a rapid or violent turning motion; to whirl. Now rare.
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the world > movement > impelling or driving > projecting through space or throwing > throw [verb (transitive)] > a missile or projectile > with whirling or skimming motion
thirl1587
skeer1636
twirl1646
skirra1652
squirr1710
squirry1825
1646 J. Lilburne Vnhappy Game Sc. & Eng. 10 Twerle up your Blew caps, and hurle them up at the Moone.
1648 R. Herrick Hesperides sig. Lv Carouse, Till Liber Pater twirles the house About your eares.
1695 J. Addison To the King 157, in Misc. Wks. (1726) I. 13 Crags of broken Rocks are twirl'd on high.
1741 S. Richardson Pamela III. xxxviii. 392 The Knight following him with Outrage to the Top of a Pair of Stairs, he twirled him from Top to Bottom almost.
1847 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair (1848) xl. 362 She would..twirl away his chair from the fire which he loved to look at.
5. intransitive. To twine, coil, curl. rare.
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the world > movement > motion in specific manner > writhing or twisting movement > writhe or twist [verb (intransitive)]
wendOE
throwOE
to-writhec1000
windc1000
wrenchc1050
writhec1300
wrenka1400
wrestle?a1400
chervec1440
wring1470
wrele1513
wriggle1573
wrincha1625
curla1637
twingle1647
twine1666
twirl1706
retort1720
1706 [see twirled adj. at Derivatives]. a1719 [see twirling adj. at Derivatives].
1725 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Œconomique at Melon The Sun will soon draw the Heat of so fresh a Bed to that Degree, that..the two first Leaves..of the Plant will twirl or coffer.
1840 W. M. Thackeray Shabby Genteel Story iv His great Spanish cloak..of so prodigious a size that the tail of it, as it twirled over his shoulder, whisked away a lodging-card from the door of the house opposite.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair lxiv. 577 The monster's hideous tail..writhing and twirling.
Derivatives
twirled adj.
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the world > space > shape > curvature > coil > [adjective] > twisted spirally
woundenOE
thwarlc1400
wreathenc1400
writhenc1475
thrown1534
crinkled1558
contort1570
torqued1577
writhed1578
rivelled1594
wrested1609
twound1610
twirled1611
contorted1622
tortile1658
torcular1661
roped1681
wended?1690
twisted1725
entwisteda1800
torquated1851
barley sugar1868
spirated1871
wrangled1876
rangled1924
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Giré, veered, or turned..; twirled, whirled, or twyned about.
1706 in T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. 19 Mar. (O.H.S.) I. 205 Fifty to one ye twirl'd tail'd Cur does win.
1897 Q. Rev. July 230 Trying to unravel the twisted and twirled tangle of philosophies of life.
ˈtwirling adj.
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the world > movement > motion in specific manner > revolution or rotation > [adjective] > twirling
twirling1611
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > writhing or twisting movement > [adjective]
wrestinga1529
writhing1556
retorting1588
wringinga1600
wrenching1618
reluctant1667
twirlinga1719
quirling1755
convoluting1818
contortional1918
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Pirouetteux, whirling, twirling, trilling, turning swiftly about.
a1719 J. Addison tr. Ovid Met. iv. 97 The wriggling snake is snatcht on high In eagle's claws,..Around the foe his twirling tail he flings.
1794 G. Adams Lect. Nat. & Exper. Philos. IV. xlvi. 336 [Electric] boats, with each of them a twirling fly..fixed to the top of the mast.
1871 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (1879) II. xiii. 307 The retention of the retinal impression transforms the little living rod into a twirling wheel.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
† twirlv.2
Obsolete. rare.
transitive. To lay open by rolling or turning back the covering. Also intransitive for reflexive.
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the world > space > relative position > condition of being open or not closed > become open [verb (intransitive)]
openOE
undo1122
unlouk1340
unfoldc1350
unshut1390
unclosea1398
opena1400
waltc1400
unstopc1440
twirl?1523
disclosec1586
the world > space > relative position > condition of being open or not closed > open [verb (transitive)] > open by turning back covering
twirl?1523
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xxv Take both your handes and twyrle vpon [read open] his [sc. the sheep's] eye and if it be ruddy and haue reed stryndes in the whyte of the eye, than he is sounde.
?1530 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry (rev. ed.) f. xxixv Her shap..wyl twyrle open and close agayne.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1916; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
> see also
also refers to : twirl-comb. form
<
n.1598v.11598
v.2?1523see also