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whir

   Also found in: Acronyms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
whir  (hwûr, wûr)
v. whirred, whir·ring, whirs
v.intr.
To move so as to produce a vibrating or buzzing sound.
v.tr.
To cause to make a vibratory sound.
n.
1. A sound of buzzing or vibration: the whir of turning wheels.
2. Excited, noisy activity; bustle: the whir of busy shoppers.
[Middle English whirren, probably of Scandinavian origin.]
whir
Noun, vb
[whirring, whirred] same as whirr
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.whir - sound of something in rapid motion; "whir of a bird's wings"; "the whir of the propellers"
whirr, whirring, birr
sound - the sudden occurrence of an audible event; "the sound awakened them"
Verb1.whir - make a soft swishing sound; "the motor whirred"; "the car engine purred"
birr, purr, whirr, whiz, whizz
sound, go - make a certain noise or sound; "She went `Mmmmm'"; "The gun went `bang'"


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
He flew around with a great whir of his wings and settled upon a large ram, with the intention of carrying him off, but his claws became entangled in the ram's fleece and he was not able to release himself, although he fluttered with his feathers as much as he could.
Fables by Aesop View in context
"I said I'd give this beggar the lesson of his life," he murmured as he heard, even above the whir of the propeller, the shriek of the terrified Negro.
Tarzan the Untamed by Burroughs, Edgar Rice View in context
It all happened at the same time: a boy ran towards a dove and glanced smiling at Levin; the dove, with a whir of her wings, darted away, flashing in the sun, amid grains of snow that quivered in the air, while from a little window there came a smell of fresh-baked bread, and the loaves were put out.
Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, Leo View in context
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