Library / English Dictionary

TWIRL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of rotating rapidly

Example:

it broke off after much twisting

Synonyms:

spin; twirl; twist; twisting; whirl

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("twirl" is a kind of...):

rotary motion; rotation (the act of rotating as if on an axis)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "twirl"):

pirouette ((ballet) a rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet))

birling; logrolling (rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport))

Derivation:

twirl (cause to spin)

twirl (turn in a twisting or spinning motion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A sharp bend in a line produced when a line having a loop is pulled tight

Synonyms:

kink; twirl; twist

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Hypernyms ("twirl" is a kind of...):

bend; crease; crimp; flexure; fold; plication (an angular or rounded shape made by folding)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cause to spin

Example:

spin a coin

Synonyms:

birl; spin; twirl; whirl

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "twirl" is one way to...):

circumvolve; rotate (cause to turn on an axis or center)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The girls twirl the wooden sticks

Derivation:

twirl (the act of rotating rapidly)

twirler (someone who twirls a baton)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Turn in a twisting or spinning motion

Example:

The leaves swirled in the autumn wind

Synonyms:

swirl; twiddle; twirl; whirl

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "twirl" is one way to...):

go around; revolve; rotate (turn on or around an axis or a center)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The wooden sticks twirl

Derivation:

twirl (the act of rotating rapidly)

twirler ((baseball) the person who does the pitching)

Credits

 Context examples: 

I really feel like a dissipated London fine lady, writing here so late, with my room full of pretty things, and my head a jumble of parks, theaters, new gowns, and gallant creatures who say Ah! and twirl their blond mustaches with the true English lordliness.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)