whir

or whirr

[ hwur, wur ]

verb (used without object)

, whirred, whir·ring.

1. to go, fly, revolve, or otherwise move quickly with a humming or buzzing sound:

   An electric fan whirred softly in the corner.

verb (used with object)

, whirred, whir·ring.

1. to move or transport (a thing, person, etc.) with a whirring sound:

   The plane whirred them away into the night.

noun

1. an act or sound of whirring:

   the whir of wings.

whir

/ wɜː /

noun

1. a prolonged soft swish or buzz, as of a motor working or wings flapping
2. a bustle or rush

verb

1. to make or cause to make a whir

Word History and Origins

Origin of whir¹

1350–1400; Middle English quirre ( Scots ) < Scandinavian; compare Danish hvirre, Norwegian kvirra. See whirl

Word History and Origins

Origin of whir¹

C14: probably from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian kvirra, Danish hvirre; see whirl

Example Sentences

Was a Harris–Walz campaign bus really followed, in the dead of a September night on I-70, by the eerie whir of enormous wings that tracked its path for miles before disappearing suddenly in the direction of an abandoned military research facility?

From Slate

Tyranny may start, in “I’m Still Here,” as the whir of a single helicopter, but without vigilance it can seep through your doors and windows until you are surrounded.

From Los Angeles Times

The constant whir of leaf blowers will grind to a halt as temperatures become too hot for gardeners and outdoor workers during the day.

From Los Angeles Times

As you race down the bike path, you hear a pop and a whir, but it’s not your tires.

From Los Angeles Times

Generators continue to whir with a haunting and deafening hum that reverberates throughout the massive turbine deck.

From Los Angeles Times