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Whirl vs Thirl - What's the difference?

whirl | thirl |

As verbs the difference between whirl and thirl

is that whirl is to rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly while thirl is to pierce, perforate, penetrate.

As nouns the difference between whirl and thirl

is that whirl is an act of whirling while thirl is a hole, aperture, especially a nostril.

whirl

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (label) To rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly.
  • * (John Dryden) (1631-1700)
    • He whirls his sword around without delay.
  • * 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
    • The house whirled around two or three times and rose slowly through the air. Dorothy felt as if she were going up in a balloon.
  • (label) To have a sensation of spinning or reeling.
  • (label) To make something or someone whirl.
  • (label) To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving motion; to snatch.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
    • See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels, / That whirled the prophet up at Chebar flood.
  • * (1809-1892)
    • The passionate heart of the poet is whirl'd into folly.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of whirling.
    • She gave the top a whirl and it spun across the floor.
  • Something that whirls.
  • A confused tumult.
  • A rapid series of events
    • My life is one social whirl .
  • Dizziness or giddiness.
  • A brief experiment or trial.
    • OK, let's give it a whirl .

    Derived terms

    * whirligig * whirlpool English terms with homophones

    thirl

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) thirl, thiril, from (etyl) . Related to (l), (l).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic, or, dialectal) A hole, aperture, especially a nostril.

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) thirlen, thurlen, thorlen, from (etyl) , from the noun (see above).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To pierce, perforate, penetrate.
  • (obsolete) To drill or bore.
    • Derived terms
    * nostril * thirlable * thrill

    Etymology 3

    Origin uncertain. Perhaps a .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To throw (a projectile).
  • *, II.8:
  • *:And many Authours doe in this manner wound the protection of their cause, by over-rashly running against that which they take hold-of, thirling such darts at their enemies, that might with much more advantage be cast at them.