whirl
gb/wˈɚl/ us/wˈɚl/
B2
Inglés
~ 8500
Acepciones
0 acepciones
Verbo
B2
action
1
to spin or move rapidly around
to turn or move, or make something turn or move, around and around very fast
Patrón de uso:
to whirl [something] / [something] whirls
Error frecuente:
Learners often use only "spin" or "turn" and do not realize that "whirl" usually suggests faster, sometimes wilder circular movement, often caused by wind, dancing, or machines. They may also confuse it with "whirlwind", which is a noun for a strong spinning wind.
Sinónimos
spin (More common and neutral; does not always suggest the slightly wild or rapid feeling that "whirl" can have.)
Antónimos
stand still (Describes not moving at all, the opposite of the fast circular movement expressed by "whirl".)
Colocaciones
whirl around
|whirl in circles
|whirl through the air
|leaves whirled
|snow whirled
|whirl past
Temas
movement
|nature
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Brown leaves whirled in the wind and covered the path.
- The dancers whirled across the stage in bright costumes.
- She grabbed the child and whirled him around until they were both laughing.
- Snowflakes whirled through the air outside the window.
- The tiny motor whirled the fan blades at full speed.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The wind made the dry leaves whirl in the street.
- The girl took his hands and they whirled in a circle.
- The toy car whirled around and around on the table.
- Small pieces of paper whirled up into the air.
- The machine whirled the water and soap together.
Sustantivo
C1
event
2
busy, often confusing activity or life
a time when many things happen quickly and it feels busy and confusing, often in your social or work life
Patrón de uso:
a whirl of [activity/events]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes think "whirl" here means literal physical spinning. In this sense, it is figurative and describes how life or events feel busy and confusing, not that anything is actually turning around.
Sinónimos
rush (Focuses more on haste and pressure, and less on the mix of excitement and confusion implied by "whirl".)
Antónimos
calm (Describes a quiet, peaceful state, the opposite of the busy, confusing feeling of a "whirl".)
Colocaciones
a social whirl
|a whirl of activity
|a whirl of meetings
|caught up in the whirl
|life is a whirl
Temas
social life
|work
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- Moving to the city threw her into a whirl of new faces and invitations.
- The last few weeks before the deadline were a whirl of meetings and late nights.
- He enjoys the social whirl of parties, openings, and weekend trips.
- After the whirlwind of the campaign, the sudden silence felt strange.
- Her life became a whirl of travel, interviews, and television appearances.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Her first year at college was a whirl of new friends and classes.
- The office was in a whirl of activity before the big event.
- After the wedding, their days were a whirl of family visits.
- His life is a whirl of work and travel.
- Last month was a whirl, and now he feels very tired.
Verbo
B2
action
3
to turn around very quickly
to turn around very fast, usually because something surprises or upsets you
Patrón de uso:
to whirl around / to whirl to [face/look at] [someone/something]
Error frecuente:
Learners may use only "turn" instead of "whirl" and lose the idea of speed and surprise. "Whirl" suggests a quick, almost sudden movement, often with strong feeling.
Sinónimos
spin around (Very close in meaning, but "spin around" can sound slightly more neutral, while "whirl" can suggest more sudden or emotional movement.)
Antónimos
turn slowly (Describes a gradual movement, the opposite of the fast, sudden turning in "whirl".)
Colocaciones
whirled around
|whirled to face
|whirled to see
|whirled on him
|whirled toward the sound
Temas
movement
|emotions
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- She whirled around when she heard her name.
- He whirled to face the man standing in the doorway.
- At the sound of breaking glass, they whirled toward the kitchen.
- The dog whirled around and barked at the stranger.
- I whirled on him, ready to argue back.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He heard a loud shout and whirled around.
- She whirled to see who was behind her.
- The boy whirled around when I called his name.
- They whirled toward the door when it opened.
- The woman whirled on the thief and grabbed his arm.
Sustantivo
B2
event
4
a quick spinning movement
a fast movement in which something turns around and around
Patrón de uso:
a whirl of [movement]
Error frecuente:
Learners may confuse this with the idiom "give it a whirl", where "whirl" does not mean a physical spinning movement but a "try" or "attempt".
Sinónimos
spin (Almost the same meaning; "whirl" can sound slightly more vivid or dramatic.)
Antónimos
stillness (Refers to the complete absence of movement, the opposite of a spinning movement.)
Colocaciones
give [someone] a whirl
|in a single whirl
|with a whirl
|a dizzy whirl
|a whirl of dust
Temas
movement
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- With a sudden whirl, the skater changed direction.
- The children disappeared in a whirl of arms and legs as they played.
- The car pulled away in a whirl of dust and noise.
- She finished the dance with a graceful whirl and a bow.
- The room seemed to move in a slow whirl around him.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The dancer ended the show with a fast whirl.
- The leaves rose from the ground in a small whirl.
- The car drove off in a whirl of dust.
- He fell after one quick whirl on the ice.
- The toy top made a bright whirl of color.
Sustantivo
informal
C1
entity
5
a short attempt or try
an informal word for a short try at something
Patrón de uso:
to give [something] a whirl / to have a whirl at [something]
Error frecuente:
Learners may think "whirl" still has the idea of spinning here. In this idiomatic use, especially in "give it a whirl", it simply means "try" and does not suggest any physical movement.
Sinónimos
try (More common, neutral word; "whirl" sounds casual and sometimes suggests curiosity or fun.)
Antónimos
avoid (Means choosing not to attempt something at all, the opposite of making a try.)
Colocaciones
give it a whirl
|give [something] a whirl
|have a whirl at
|take a whirl at
Temas
daily life
|informal
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- I’ve never played tennis, but I’d like to give it a whirl.
- He decided to give teaching a whirl before choosing a long-term career.
- If you’re not sure you’ll like it, just give the course a whirl for a week.
- She gave the recipe a whirl and was surprised how easy it was.
- Why not give online dating a whirl and see what happens?
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- I will give the new game a whirl.
- He gave driving a whirl last weekend.
- They gave the new app a whirl on their phones.
- She gave cooking Indian food a whirl.
- Let’s give this idea a whirl and see if it works.
Sustantivo
C1
entity
6
a spinning mass, like wind or water
a small, round shape of air, water, or dust that turns around very fast
Patrón de uso:
a whirl of [dust/snow/water]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse this with "whirlpool", which is a large, powerful spinning body of water. A "whirl" is usually smaller and can be made of air, dust, or other things, not only water.
Sinónimos
eddy (More technical and mainly used for water or wind; "whirl" is a bit more general and vivid.)
Antónimos
calm air (Describes air that is not moving, the opposite of spinning air in a whirl.)
Colocaciones
a whirl of dust
|a whirl of snow
|a whirl of wind
|a whirl of water
Temas
nature
|weather
|science
Ejemplos
- The car disappeared in a whirl of dust on the dirt road.
- A tiny whirl of wind lifted the dry leaves into the air.
- The paddle cut through a whirl of foaming water.
- Snow rose in a sudden whirl around their boots.
- She watched a whirl of smoke twist up from the candle.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The truck left a whirl of dust behind it.
- A small whirl of snow moved across the field.
- The wind made a whirl of dry leaves in the yard.
- We saw a whirl of water near the rock in the river.
- A whirl of smoke went up from the fire.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
whirl
AFI
GB/wˈɚl/
US/wˈɚl/
Sílabas y acento
whirl (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (whirl)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: whirl
- Plural: whirls
Verb
- Base: whirl
- 3rd Person Singular: whirls
- Present Participle: whirling
- Past: whirled
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
a whirl of activity
1/ə wˈɚl əv æktˈɪvɪti/
fixed phrase
a very busy situation
a place or time when many things are happening quickly and people are very busy
Ejemplos
- The kitchen was a whirl of activity before the guests arrived.
- The office became a whirl of activity as the deadline approached.
- The backstage area was a whirl of activity before the show started.
give something a whirl
1/ɡˈɪv sˈʌmθɪŋ ə wˈɚl/
idiom
informal
to try something in an informal way
to try something, often for the first time, to see if you like it or if it works
Ejemplos
- I’ve never used this software before, but I’ll give it a whirl tonight.
- If you’re not sure about yoga, just give it a whirl for a month.
- He decided to give public speaking a whirl and signed up for a class.
in a whirl
1/ˈɪn ə wˈɚl/
idiom
feeling confused and excited by events
feeling very busy, confused, or excited because many things are happening
Ejemplos
- After the move, I was in a whirl for weeks, trying to fix everything.
- Her thoughts were in a whirl as she tried to remember all the instructions.
- The day went by in a whirl, and suddenly it was midnight.
social whirl
1/sˈoʊʃəl wˈɚl/
fixed phrase
a very busy social life
a life with many parties, events, and social activities, often so many that it feels busy and tiring
Ejemplos
- After moving to London, she was quickly drawn into the social whirl.
- He enjoys the social whirl of dinners, parties, and gallery openings.
- They left the social whirl of the city for a quieter life in the countryside.
whirl around
1/wˈɚl ɚˈaʊnd/
phrasal verb
turn around very quickly
to turn your body or head very quickly, often because something surprises you
Ejemplos
- She heard a voice behind her and whirled around.
- He whirled around to see who had called his name.
- The dog whirled around when it heard the door open.
whirl by
1/wˈɚl bˈaɪ/
phrasal verb
move quickly past
to go past very quickly, often making the scene look like it is moving fast in front of you
Ejemplos
- Trees and houses whirled by as the train picked up speed.
- She watched the years whirl by without changing her routine.
- Cars whirled by on the highway while we stood on the bridge.