name
Meaning 1
A surname.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
birr
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /bɜː/
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US: /bɝ/
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US: bûr
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rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)
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Australian, Received-Pronunciation: /bɜː/
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General-American: /bɝ/
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General-American: bûr
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Scotland: /bɪr/
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New-Zealand: /bøː/
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/beː/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
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/bɛː/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
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homophone: bur
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homophone: burr
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homophone: Burr (all fern–fir–fur merger)
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homophone: bare
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homophone: bear (both fair–fur merger)
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UK: /bɪə/
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US: /bɪɚ/
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US: bîr
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homophone: beer
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rhymes with -ɪə(ɹ)
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CMU ARPABET: B ER1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
name
Meaning 2
A community in Middlesex Centre municipality, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Meaning 3
A town in County Offaly, Ireland, originally named Parsonstown (Irish grid ref N 0605).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Meaning 4
A municipality in Aargau canton, Switzerland.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
Strength, vigor, energy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
The force of movement; rush, impetus, momentum, driving force.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A whirring noise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
A strong trilling.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 9
The currency of Ethiopia, divided into 100 santims.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To make a whirring noise; make a noise like that of revolving wheels, or of millstones at work.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 11
To lurch or set to spinning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Scotland
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 12
sound of something in rapid motion
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- whir of a bird's wings
- the whir of the propellers
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: whir, whirr, whirring
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sound
noun
Meaning 13
the basic unit of money in Ethiopia; equal to 100 cents
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: Ethiopian monetary unit
verb
Meaning 14
make a soft swishing sound
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the motor whirred
- the car engine purred
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: whizz, whiz, whirr, whir, purr
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sound, go
History
Etymology
From Middle English bir (“favorable or strong wind”), from Old English byre (“strong wind, storm”); cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk bør, Icelandic byrr (“sailing winds”), Albanian borë (“snow”), and Polish burza (“storm, thunderstorm”).
Borrowed from Amharic ብር (bər, “silver”).
Across languages
Translations
2 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Chinese Mandarin: 比爾 /比尔 (bǐ'ěr) — currency
- Polish: birr — currency