Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
whirlwind en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈwɜːlwɪnd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English whirlewind, whirlewynde, equivalent to whirl + wind. Compare Middle Dutch wervelwint, Old Norse hvirfilvindr.
Meanings
-
(not-comparable) Rapid and minimal.
So you aren't deserting the Caversham ship. They'll understand. After all, their courtship was pretty whirlwind itself.
2016, Nina Milne, Rafael's Contract Bride, page 60:a whirlwind tour, a whirlwind romance
Relateds
whistle-stop
whirlwind en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈwɜːlwɪnd/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English whirlewind, whirlewynde, equivalent to whirl + wind. Compare Middle Dutch wervelwint, Old Norse hvirfilvindr.
Meanings
-
A windstorm of limited extent, such as a tornado, dust devil, or waterspout, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air.
VVhile in the mean time there iſſued out on the Eaſt-ſide a ſtrong VVind, but pure and refreſhing, vvhich dividing into ſeveral parts that turned round became ſo many innocuous VVhirl-vvinds of ſincere Air, tinctured only vvith a cool refreſhing ſmell, as if it had paſſed over ſome large field of Lilies and Roſes.
1713, Franciscus Euistor the Palæopolite [pseudonym; Henry More], “The Fifth Dialogue”, in Divine Dialogues, Containing Sundry Disquisitions & Instructions Concerning the Attributes of God and His Providence in the World. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Joseph Downing […], →OCLC, paragraph XXXVIII, page 515:And his hoofs ground the rocks to fire and dust, / His strong sides made the torrents rise in spray, / And turbulence, as if a whirlwind’s gust / Surrounded us; […]
1818, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “(please specify the page)”, in The Revolt of Islam; […], London: […] [F]or C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier, […]; by B[uchanan] M‘Millan, […], →OCLC, (please specify the stanza number):
-
(figuratively) A person or body of objects or events sweeping violently onward.
Once he got that new scooter he turned into a whirlwind and damaged all the flowers.
swept up in the whirlwind of war
The weeks leading up to the convention were a whirlwind of preparation and hurried activity.
Forms
Deriveds
sow the wind, reap the whirlwind
Hyponyms
landspout · waterspout · fire whirl · dust devil · tornado
Synonyms
maelstrom · vortex
Translations (130)
unm owiyalahsu (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · gd ioma-ghaoth (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · gl refolada (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · it turbine (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · te సుడిగాలి (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ka გრიგალი (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · grc βέμβιξ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · lo ຈັກກະວາດ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · sk víchrica (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · sh vȉhor (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nv náátsʼóʼoołdísii (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · tr burağan (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · es tromba (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · hu forgószél (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · vi gió lốc (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nn kvervelvind (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · cy troellwynt (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · da hvirvelvind (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · sv virvelvind (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · th ลมหัวกุด (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · th ลมวน (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · et tuulispask (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · my လေပွေ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · gl voraxen (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · de Wirbelwind (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · hy մրրիկ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · mi ānewa (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ba ҡойон (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · mi āwhiowhio (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · haw puahiohio (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ga cuaifeach (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · pl trąba powietrzna (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nn virvelvind (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nl wervelwind (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · lt viesulas (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · bg ви́хър (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · fi pyörretuuli (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ug قۇيۇن (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · tr kasırga (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · cmn 飆 /飙 (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · th พายุหมุน (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · el ανεμοστρόβιλος (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · nb virvelvind (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · el ανεμοστρόβιλος (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · fr cyclone (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · fi pyörremyrsky (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · cmn 一片忙亂 /一片忙乱 (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · my ရေကတော့ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · be ві́хур (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · az qasırğa (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · pt turbilhão (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ca terbolí (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ja 旋風 (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ru смерч (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ota طولومبه (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · cy trowynt (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · pdt Wirbelstorm (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · cy awel dro (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ta சூறாவளி (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · hi चक्रवात (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ast torbolín (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · br avel-dro (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ta சூறைக்காற்று (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · sh ви̏хор (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nn virvelvind (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · ota بوراغان (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · tl ipu-ipo (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · lv viesulis (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ckt янрайгын (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · el λαίλαπα (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · ru вихрь (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · uz quyun (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · mi urupuhau (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · mn хуй (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · sq shakullinë (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ar زَوْبَعَة (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · la vertex (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · dng щүанфыр (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ko 선풍 (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · fi pyörremyrsky (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · kl anoraarsuaq (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · de Wirbelsturm (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nl windhoos (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · my လေကတော့ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · tg гирдбод (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nn kvervelvind (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · mi tūkauati (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · be ві́хура (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · tl buhawi (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · izh viihkura (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · es torbellino (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · sl vihar (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · az burulğan (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · gl remuíño (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · az burağan (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ky куюн (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · fa گردباد (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · hi बवंडर (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · vi lốc (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ta சுழல்காற்று (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · kk құйын (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ng okambiya class 12 (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · uk ви́хор (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · io aerovortico (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · lo ຫົວກຸດ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · la turbō (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · grc λαῖλαψ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · th บ้าหมู (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · pl tornado (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · tt коен (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ru урага́н (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · de Wirbelwind (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · gl refolión (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · bg вихрушка (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · om bubbee (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · cmn 旋風 /旋风 (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ang þoden (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · nb virvelvind (body of objects or events sweeping violently onward) · alt куйун (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · cy corwynt (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · eo ciklono (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ast terbulín (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · km កំបុតត្បូង (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ka ქარიშხალი (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · uz uyurma (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · pa ਵਾਵਰੋਲਾ (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · ty puahiohio (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · mk ви́ор (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · cs smršť (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air) · sm āsiosio (violent windstorm of limited extent characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air)