Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To cause (a floating log) to spin rapidly by rotating with the feet.
- intransitive verb To participate in birling.
- intransitive verb To spin.
- noun A whirring noise; a hum.
from The Century Dictionary.
- In lumbering, to cause a floating log to rotate rapidly by treading upon it.
- To pour out (wine, etc.) for.
- To supply or ply with drink.
- To drink in company;carouse.
- To move or rotate rapidly; make a noise like that made by wheels moving rapidly over stones or gravel.
- To cause to rotate; twirl or spin (as a coin) in the air or on a table, as in pitch-and-toss; hence, to toss out (a coin or coins) on the table as one's contribution; contribute as one's share in paying for drinks: as, “I'll birl my bawbee,”
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- verb Scot. To revolve or cause to revolve; to spin.
- verb Obs. or Dial. To pour (beer or wine); to ply with drink; to drink; to carouse.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb Alternative form of
birle . - verb Scotland To
spin . - verb To cause a floating log to rotate by treading on it.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb cause a floating log to rotate by treading
- verb cause to spin
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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A compendium of greatest hits, plus a poetic "birl" (spin) from Seamus Heaney, it seems to be modelled on the Burns night, with O'Hagan, a lively novelist and cultural commentator, playing MC.
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He gave a slow birl, checking the effect in the hall mirror.
A Small Death in the Great Glen A. D. Scott 2010
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June 18, 2010 at 10:04 am that is so cute! a silmular birl walked through the garden doors up into my bedroom last week, it shocked me to death !
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June 18, 2010 at 10:04 am that is so cute! a silmular birl walked through the garden doors up into my bedroom last week, it shocked me to death !
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Joanne walked toward him, a mohair stole draped over her shoulders, and did a quick birl for his benefit.
A Small Death in the Great Glen A. D. Scott 2010
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Once upon a time in a corn foundry there lived a geautiful birl and her name was Rindercella.
Rindercella 2000
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The next day this pransome hince went all over this corn foundry looking for the geautiful birl who had slopped her dripper.
Rindercella 2000
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Suddenly with one accord they commenced to birl the log from left to right.
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Suddenly with one accord they commenced to birl the log from left to right.
Blazed Trail Stories and Stories of the Wild Life Stewart Edward White 1909
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To-night he would birl the bottle with Templandmuir as usual, till the fuddled laird should think himself a fine big fellow as being the intimate of John Gourlay -- and then, sober as a judge himself, he would drive him home in the small hours.
The House with the Green Shutters George Douglas Brown 1885
yarb commented on the word birl
I live in Canada, this is how I get to work each day.
November 17, 2007
bilby commented on the word birl
In Australia the sense is - or at least was, because I haven't heard this for a long time - to travel quickly.
"He was birling along the highway doing ninety."
November 21, 2007
yarb commented on the word birl
I reckon that's a contraction and ozzification of barreling, bilby.
In fact that could be the origin of the log-riding, too.
November 22, 2007
bilby commented on the word birl
Now that I think about it, birl also meant "to attempt", especially when encouraging someone else.
eg. "Go on, give it a birl."
November 22, 2007
bilby commented on the word birl
"GOAL Celtic 2-2 Rangers Scott McDonald again. He birls in the Rangers box and hits a great shot that deflects off Broadfoot's, erm, foot and spins over the top of helpless Alexander. Rangers pay for slack play."
- football commentary page on BBC website, 27 April 2008.
April 27, 2008
qms commented on the word birl
A lumberjack pleases his girl
By skill at the lubricious twirl.
The peavey applied
To front and backside
Is something they learn when they birl.
April 20, 2016
alexz commented on the word birl
Some lumberjack waltz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upsZZ2s3xv8
April 20, 2016
qms commented on the word birl
See also comments at birling.
January 26, 2017