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Whir vs Whim - What's the difference?

whir | whim |

As nouns the difference between whir and whim

is that whir is an alternative spelling of lang=en while whim is a fanciful impulse, or whimsical idea.

As a verb whir

is an alternative spelling of lang=en.

whir

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • *1909 , (William Hope Hodgson), (The Ghost Pirates)
  • *:Suddenly, the time-keeper struck three bells, and the deeper notes of the bell forrard, answered them. I gave a start. It seemed to me that they had been struck close to my elbow. There was something unaccountably strange in the air that night. Then, even as the Second Mate answered the look-out's "All's well," there came the sharp whir and rattle of running gear, on the port side of the mainmast.

    • Verb

    (en-verb)

    • whim

    English

    (wikipedia whim)

    Etymology 1

    Apocopal derivation of "whim-wham."

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A fanciful impulse, or whimsical idea
  • * Churchill
    • Let every man enjoy his whim .
  • (mining) A large capstan or vertical drum turned by horse power or steam power, for raising ore or water, etc., from mines, or for other purposes
    • Synonyms
    * (fancy) lark, especially in phrase on a whim
    Derived terms
    * on a whim * whim gin * whim shaft * whimsical

    External links

    * Picture of a horse-powered whim used to wind the cables on to work the mine between the depth of 50 feet to 500 feet - photo taken at Gympie, Queensland, Australia

    Etymology 2

    Compare whimbrel.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A bird, the European widgeon.