| 释义 |
whirl·i·gig
I. \ˈhw]ərləˌgig, ]ə̄l-, ]əil- also ˈw]\ noun
Etymology: Middle English whirlegigge, from whirlen to whirl + gigge top — more at gig
1. : a child's toy having a whirling or spinning motion
2. : a mechanical apparatus having a whirling or rotary movement: as
a. : a medieval instrument for punishing petty offenders consisting of a wooden cage for whirling around an offender at high speed
b. : merry-go-round
3. : something that continuously whirls, moves, or changes: as
a. obsolete : a fanciful trifle or notion
b. : a circling or repetition of time or events : wheel
< their best work outlines the whirligig of taste — Douglas Bush >
< the whirligig of fortune — J.D.Hart >
c. archaic : a flighty unstable person
4. : whirligig beetle
II. intransitive verb
: to whirl like a whirligig : spin, turn |