to move around or along with a whirling motion; whirl; eddy.
to be dizzy or giddy, as the head.
verb (used with object)
to cause to whirl; twist.
noun
a swirling movement; whirl; eddy.
a twist, as of hair around the head or of trimming on a hat.
any curving, twisting line, shape, or form.
confusion; disorder.
Origin of swirl
1375–1425; late Middle English (north) <Scandinavian; compare Norwegian svirla; cognate with Dutch zwirrelen to whirl, German (dial.) schwirrlen to totter; all < a root *swir- (whence Danish svirre to whirl, German schwirren to whir) + -l- frequentative suffix
SYNONYMS FOR swirl
2 reel, spin.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR swirl ON THESAURUS.COM
OTHER WORDS FROM swirl
swirl·ing·ly,adverboutswirl,verb (used with object)
Because the sanding disk travels in a random elliptical motion, it won’t leave swirl patterns on surfaces and it isn’t as affected by the direction of the wood grain.
Reliable random orbital sanders for your workshop|PopSci Commerce Team|October 9, 2020|Popular Science
HSBC now risks being caught in deepening turmoil after a swirl of trouble over the past year amid political unrest and an economic slump in its biggest market, Hong Kong.
2 new reports push HSBC stock below its 2009 low|Claire Zillman, reporter|September 21, 2020|Fortune
Of course since 2018, there’s been a swirl of new ways to go public.
Warby Parker gets a $3 billion valuation|Lucinda Shen|August 27, 2020|Fortune
Thousands of people are posting videos on YouTube while they gargle and swirl oil in their mouths.
Oil Pulling: Miracle Cure or Oily Mess?|DailyBurn|March 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That is the context I keep revisiting amidst the condemnations that swirl this week around the Nuge.
The GOP’s Real Ted Nugent Problem|James Poulos|February 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pour the batter in the pan and swirl so that the batter coats the bottom part of the pan.
Cat Cora’s Valentine’s Day Menu for Single People|Cat Cora|February 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Bassam handed me a large piece, with no attempt to wave away the swirl of winged insects dive-bombing from all directions.
Iraq War 10th Anniversary: The Teamster|John Kael Weston|March 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Once he had the boots on, the man continued along Seventh Avenue and disappeared into the Times Square swirl.
NY Cop’s Act of Kindness Resonates With Thousands|Michael Daly|December 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
A trail of bubbles and a swirl of the surface of the lake marked where she had disappeared.
Dorothy Dale's Great Secret|Margaret Penrose
The swirl of water rose and fell three feet at a time, with enough force to throw the strongest man off his balance.
His Unknown Wife|Louis Tracy
Down they went, but a swirl in the treacherous waves swept the boat two or three fathoms to leeward.
The Lifeboat|R.M. Ballantyne
The next moment there was a swirl of water as a vigorous young trout rose to the surface, and the butterfly disappeared.
Followers of the Trail|Zoe Meyer
He had watched her from the steps until she had reached the end of the Square where the swirl of passing traffic had engulfed her.
The Kingdom Round the Corner|Coningsby Dawson
British Dictionary definitions for swirl
swirl
/ (swɜːl) /
verb
to turn or cause to turn in a twisting spinning fashion