whir

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

whir, v. i. [Perhaps of imitative origin; cf. D. hvirre to whirl, and E. hurr, hurry, whirl. .].

 To whirl round, or revolve, with a whizzing noise; to fly or more quickly with a buzzing or whizzing sound; to whiz.  [1913 Webster]
"The partridge bursts away on whirring wings."  [1913 Webster]

whir, v. t. [See Whir to whiz.].

 To hurry a long with a whizzing sound.  [1913 Webster]
"This world to me is like a lasting storm,
Whirring me from my friends."  [1913 Webster]

whir, n. 

 A buzzing or whizzing sound produced by rapid or whirling motion; as, the whir of a partridge; the whir of a spinning wheel.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

whir, var. of WHIRR.

THESAURUS

whir

angular momentum, angular motion, angular velocity, axial motion, birr, bombilate, bombinate, boom, bowling, bum, burr, buzz, centrifugation, circulation, circumgyration, circumrotation, drone, full circle, gyration, hum, pivoting, purr, reeling, revolution, roll, rolling, rotation, rotational motion, spin, spinning, swinging, swirling, swiveling, thrum, trolling, trundling, turbination, turning, volutation, volution, wheeling, whirling, whiz

ROGET THESAURUS

whir

Rotation

N rotation, revolution, spinning, gyration, turning about an axis, turning aound an axis, circulation, roll, circumrotation, circumvolution, circumgyration, volutation, circination, turbination, pirouette, convolution, verticity, whir, whirl, eddy, vortex, whirlpool, gurge, countercurrent, Maelstrom, Charybdis, Ixion, cyclone, tornado, whirlwind, dust devil, spin-out, axis, axis of rotation, swivel, pivot, pivot point, axle, spindle, pin, hinge, pole, arbor, bobbin, mandrel, axle shaft, gymbal, hub, hub of rotation, helix, helical motion, angular momentum, angular velocity, revolutions per minute, RPM, centrifugal force, surge, vertigo, dizzy round, coriolus force, carousel, merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, top, dreidel, teetotum, gyroscope, turntable, lazy suzan, screw, whirligig, rollingstone, water wheel, windmill, wheel, pulley wheel, roulette wheel, potter's wheel, pinwheel, gear, roller, flywheel, jack, caster, centrifuge, ultracentrifuge, bench centrifuge, refrigerated centrifuge, gas centrifuge, microfuge, drill, augur, oil rig, wagon wheel, wheel, tire, tyre, trochilics, whirling dervish, rotating, rotary, rotary, circumrotatory, trochilic, vertiginous, gyratory, vortical, vorticose, head over heels, round and round, like a horse in a mill.