From Middle English swirlen (“to eddy, swirl”), probably from Old Norse *svirla (“to swirl”), a frequentative form of Old Norse sverra (“to swing, twirl”). Cognate with Scots swirl, sworl (“to eddy, swirl”), Norwegian Nynorsk svirla (“to whirl around; swirl”), Swedish sorla (“to murmur, buzz”), Dutch zwirrelen (“to swirl”). Compare also West Frisian swiere (“to reel, whirl”), Dutch zwieren (“to reel, swing around”), German Low German swirren (“to whizz, whirl or buzz around”), German schwirren (“to whirr, whizz, buzz”), Swedish svirra (“to whirr about, buzz, hum”), Danish svirre (“to whizz, whirr”). Related to English swarm.
Meanings
A whirling eddy.
Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him. 1949 June 8, George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, London: Secker & Warburg, →OCLC, Part I, Chapter I:
A twist or coil of something.
The upward rushing of a fish through the water to take the bait.
In truth, it was more to do with keeping up with the latest gossip on YouTube famous interracial ‘swirl’ couples and reality stars. 2023, Yomi Adegoke, The List, 4th Estate, page 198:
She told that white boy she wasn't down with the swirl and to take himself a hike.
Synonym of pinwheel (“food product with spiral layers”).
From Middle English swirlen (“to eddy, swirl”), probably from Old Norse *svirla (“to swirl”), a frequentative form of Old Norse sverra (“to swing, twirl”). Cognate with Scots swirl, sworl (“to eddy, swirl”), Norwegian Nynorsk svirla (“to whirl around; swirl”), Swedish sorla (“to murmur, buzz”), Dutch zwirrelen (“to swirl”). Compare also West Frisian swiere (“to reel, whirl”), Dutch zwieren (“to reel, swing around”), German Low German swirren (“to whizz, whirl or buzz around”), German schwirren (“to whirr, whizz, buzz”), Swedish svirra (“to whirr about, buzz, hum”), Danish svirre (“to whizz, whirr”). Related to English swarm.
Meanings
(ambitransitive) To twist or whirl, as an eddy.
The contest was a lot more even in the second half, as the wind swirled around the Stadium of Light, but it took Craig Gardner's superb block to prevent Young getting on the scoresheet. 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:
I swirled my brush around in the paint.
The river swirled along. 1857, Charles Kingsley, “(please specify the page)”, in Two Years Ago, volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC:
To be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl.
(figuratively, intransitive) To circulate.
Mr. Cameron had a respite Thursday from the negative chatter swirling around him when he appeared outside 10 Downing Street to denounce the murder a day before of a British soldier on a London street. 2013 May 23, Sarah Lyall, “British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 May 2013:
Rumors began to swirl last week that Dion would once again be performing after posters with her various song titles began popping up around the French capital. 2026 March 31, Lisa Respers France, “Celine Dion announces her return to the stage”, in edition.cnn.com:
(dated, qualifier:African-American Vernacular) To mingle interracially.
es remolinear (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl) · da hvirvle (to twist or whirl) · zza têvden (to twist or whirl) · mi māwe (to twist or whirl) · es rotar (to twist or whirl) · mi pioi (to twist or whirl) · fi pyörteillä (to twist or whirl) · cmn 旋动 (to twist or whirl) · mi whirowhiro (to twist or whirl) · mi māue (to twist or whirl) · es arremolinarse (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl) · km កួច (to twist or whirl) · ja 巻く (to twist or whirl) · mi kōmingo (to twist or whirl) · es girar (to twist or whirl) · bg завихрям се (to twist or whirl) · fi kieppua (to twist or whirl) · mi pīoioi (to twist or whirl) · mi kōripo (to twist or whirl) · eo kirliĝi (to twist or whirl) · it turbinare (to twist or whirl) · es remolinar (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl) · et keerlema (to twist or whirl) · es remolinear (to twist or whirl) · mi miro (to twist or whirl) · es arremolinar (to twist or whirl) · es remolinarse (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl) · es remolinearse (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl) · ja 渦巻く (to twist or whirl) · fr tourbillonner (to twist or whirl) · zza tahnen (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl) · it vorticare (to twist or whirl) · km បង្វិល (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl) · fi kiertyä (to be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl)