Also 6 Sc. sworl. [orig. Sc.: see prec.]
1. trans. To give a whirling or eddying motion to; to bring into some position by a whirling motion; to whirl, brandish.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. ii. 64. The lang stremis and wallis [= waves] round sworling.
1790. A. Wilson, Poems, The Pack, 61. Fearfu’ winds loud gurl’d, An’ mony a lum dang down, an’ stack, Heigh i’ the air up swirl’d.
1818. Miss Ferrier, Marriage, xxvi. Some withered leaves were swirled round and round, as if by the wind.
1844. Ayrshire Wreath, 192. He swirled his brand wi’ a’ his mycht.
1879. Seguin, Black For., ii. 72. The immense mass of floating timber, swirled and carried along by the raging waters.
1898. Watts-Dunton, Aylwin, III. iv. Great isles and continents of cloud were rolled and swirled from peak to peak.
b. To give a twisted or convolute form to; to wind round (hair, trimming) in a ‘swirl’; also, to wrap round with something.
1902. Westm. Gaz., 31 July, 3/2. The trimming,… just a nice ribbon swirled round the crown. Ibid. (1908), 6 June, 13/2. A black or dark straw hat swirled with tulle.
1909. Daily Mail, 30 Sept., 5/3. Women … with their tresses dressed in the new manner swirled compactly about the head.
2. intr. a. Of water or of objects borne on water: To move in or upon eddies or little whirlpools.
1755. R. Forbes, Ajax’s Sp., in Poems in Buchan Dial. (1785), 3. Wha … in a tight Thessalian bark To Colchos’ harbour swirl’d.
1785. Burns, Winter Night, ii. While burns, wi’ snawy wreeths up-choked, Wild-eddying swirl.
1816. L. Hunt, Story Rimini, I. 24. The far ships … chase the whistling brine, and swirl into the bay.
1858. Kingsley, Misc., Chalk-stream Stud. (1859), I. 167. The low bar over which the stream comes swirling and dimpling.
1902. S. E. White, Blazed Trail, xlvii. The drivers were enabled to prevent the timbers from swirling in the eddies.
b. Of other objects: To move rapidly in eddies or in a whirling or circular course.
1858. Kingsley, Misc., Chalk-stream Stud. (1859), I. 175. Great tails and back-fins are showing above the surface, and swirling suddenly among the tufts of grass. Ibid. (1863), Water Bab., iii. While the fish are swirling at your fly as an oar-blade swirls in a boatrace.
1877. Kinglake, Crimea, VI. xii. 247. Pouring through its two embrasures, or swirling round by its flanks, the bulk of the Grenadier Guards [etc.].
1882. B. Harte, Flip, i. The stage-coach swirled past the branches of a fir.
1885. M. Arnold, Poor Matthias, 144. Swallows trooping in the sedge, Starlings swirling from the hedge.
1896. Crockett, Cleg Kelly (ed. 2), 21. The wind swirled about the old many gabled closes of Edinburgh.
3. Of the head, etc.: To swim, to be giddy or dizzy.
1818. Hogg, Brownie of Bodsbeck, I. xiii. 288. We’ll never mair … swirl at the gelloch o’ the ern.
1891. Doyle, White Company, xvi. Even as he spoke,… his head swirled round.
Hence Swirled ppl. a., Swirling vbl. sb.
1825. Jamieson, Swirling, giddiness, vertigo.
1882. Daily Tel., 12 Sept., 2/2. A furious swirling of foam.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 6 April, 3/2. These swirlings of tulle.
1909. Daily Mail, 9 Oct., 11/4. The softly swirled folds of velvet.
