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Whirl vs Whorl - What's the difference?

whirl | whorl |

In intransitive terms the difference between whirl and whorl

is that whirl is to have a sensation of spinning or reeling while whorl is to form a pattern of concentric circles.

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

    whorl

    English

    (wikipedia whorl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A pattern of concentric circles.
  • (botany) A circle of three or more leaves, flowers, or other organs, about the same part or joint of a stem.
  • (zoology) A volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve shell.
  • (archaic) A flywheel, a weight attached to a spindle, compare 1460.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To form a pattern of concentric circles.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2008, date=February 12, author=Jennifer Dunning, title=Modern Style, Old-Fashioned Virtues, work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=“Waves Against the Sand,” to music by Martinu, which opened the program, filled the stage space with whorling patterns of dancers surging with the gentle but ceaseless momentum of the sea. }}

    References

    * * * whorl, Glossary of Terms, American Rhododendron Society English terms with homophones