birl

/bɜrl/
noun
  1. A rapid spin or rotation.
    • Give the top a good birl and watch it go.
    • The dancer finished with a quick birl that drew applause from the crowd.
    • The log gave a sudden birl, and the competitor lost his balance.
verb
  1. To spin or rotate rapidly, especially in a dance or a competitive sport like Scottish Highland dancing or log rolling.
    • In log rolling, competitors try to birl the log and make their opponent fall into the water.
    • The dancer began to birl across the stage, her kilt flying.
    • He watched the top birl on the table for a full minute before it wobbled and stopped.
  2. To cause something to spin or rotate quickly.
    • He used his hand to birl the globe and find the country they were studying.
    • The children tried to birl the wheel as fast as they could.
    • She can birl a baton with impressive skill during the parade.
What does "birl" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean