Standard Lemma guide

twirl

noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /twɜːl/
  • General-American: /twɝl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • New-Zealand, Wales: /twøːl/
  • Scotland: /twɪɾl/
  • /tweːl/ Liverpool, fair–fur merger
  • /twɛːl/ Humberside, Teesside, fair–fur merger
  • rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)l
  • CMU ARPABET: T W ER1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A movement where a person spins round elegantly; a pirouette.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any rotating movement; a spin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The conductor gave his baton a twirl, and the orchestra began to play.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A little twist of some substance; a swirl.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A prison guard.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: screw

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To perform a twirl.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To rotate rapidly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To twist round.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: twizzle

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To pitch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: ball-games, baseball, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

the act of rotating rapidly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he gave the crank a spin
  • it broke off after much twisting

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: spin, twist, twisting, whirl

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rotation, rotary motion

Narrower terms: pirouette, birling, logrolling

10

noun

Meaning 10

a sharp bend in a line produced when a line having a loop is pulled tight

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: kink, twist

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fold, crease, plication, flexure, crimp, bend

11

verb

Meaning 11

cause to spin

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • spin a coin

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: whirl, birl, spin

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rotate, circumvolve

12

verb

Meaning 12

turn in a twisting or spinning motion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The leaves swirled in the autumn wind

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: swirl, twiddle, whirl

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: revolve, go around, rotate

History

Etymology

Of Scandinavian origin, akin to Norwegian Nynorsk tvirla, Old High German dweran (German zwirlen, quirlen), Dutch dwarrelen and Icelandic þyrill; all from Proto-Germanic *þwirilaz (“stirring-stick, whisk”), *þweraną (“to stir”). Or, an alteration of tirl (“to twist”), with influence from whirl.

Across languages

Translations

44 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: завъртане (zavǎrtane) — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • Bulgarian: пирует (piruet) — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • Esperanto: svingiĝo — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • Finnish: pyörähdys — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • French: pirouette — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • German: Pirouette — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • German: Drehschwung — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • Norwegian: virvling — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • Russian: враще́ние (vraščénije) — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • Spanish: pirueta — Movement where one spins round elegantly; a pirouette
  • Bulgarian: въртя се (vǎrtja se) — to perform a twirl
  • Bulgarian: завъртам се (zavǎrtam se) — to perform a twirl
  • Czech: točit se — to perform a twirl
  • Czech: otáčet se — to perform a twirl
  • Czech: zatočit se — to perform a twirl
  • Esperanto: svingiĝi — to perform a twirl
  • Finnish: pyörähdellä — to perform a twirl
  • French: pirouetter — to perform a twirl
  • German: einen Wirbel vollführen — to perform a twirl
  • Greek: στριφογυρίζω (strifogyrízo) — to perform a twirl
  • Irish: sníomh — to perform a twirl
  • Norwegian: virvle — to perform a twirl
  • Polish: wirować — to perform a twirl
  • Russian: кружи́ться (kružítʹsja) — to perform a twirl
  • Sicilian: firrijari — to perform a twirl
  • Sicilian: girijari — to perform a twirl
  • Bulgarian: въртя бързо (vǎrtja bǎrzo) — to rotate rapidly
  • Maore Comorian: uzingisa — to rotate rapidly
  • Czech: točit — to rotate rapidly
  • Czech: otáčet — to rotate rapidly
  • Czech: zatočit — to rotate rapidly
  • Finnish: pyöriä — to rotate rapidly
  • French: faire tournoyer — to rotate rapidly
  • German: herumwirbeln — to rotate rapidly
  • German: schnell herumdrehen — to rotate rapidly
  • Irish: sníomh — to rotate rapidly
  • Mongolian: мушгих (mušgix) — to rotate rapidly
  • Russian: враща́ть (vraščátʹ) — to rotate rapidly
  • Russian: верте́ть (vertétʹ) — to rotate rapidly
  • Sicilian: firrijari — to rotate rapidly
  • Sicilian: furriari — to rotate rapidly
  • Sicilian: girari — to rotate rapidly
  • Sicilian: girijari — to rotate rapidly
  • Spanish: girar — to rotate rapidly