Skip to content

whirlwind

noun

  1. weather phenomenon
L330449 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈwɜːlwɪnd/ / /ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/

adj

Etymology: From Middle English whirlewind, whirlewynde, equivalent to whirl + wind. Compare Middle Dutch wervelwint, Old Norse hvirfilvindr.

  1. Rapid and minimal.

    a whirlwind tour, a whirlwind romance

    So you aren't deserting the Caversham ship. They'll understand. After all, their courtship was pretty whirlwind itself.

noun

Etymology: From Middle English whirlewind, whirlewynde, equivalent to whirl + wind. Compare Middle Dutch wervelwint, Old Norse hvirfilvindr.

  1. A windstorm of limited extent, such as a tornado, dust devil, or waterspout, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air.

    VVhile in the mean time there iſſued out on the Eaſt-ſide a ſtrong VVind, but pure and refreſhing, vvhich dividing into ſeveral parts that turned round became ſo many innocuous VVhirl-vvinds of ſincere Air, tinctured only vvith a cool refreſhing ſmell, as if it had paſſed over ſome large field of Lilies and Roſes.

    And his hoofs ground the rocks to fire and dust, / His strong sides made the torrents rise in spray, / And turbulence, as if a whirlwind’s gust / Surrounded us; […]

  2. A person or body of objects or events sweeping violently onward.

    Once he got that new scooter he turned into a whirlwind and damaged all the flowers.

    The weeks leading up to the convention were a whirlwind of preparation and hurried activity.