birl

[ burl ]

verb (used with object)

1. Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering. to cause (a floating log) to rotate rapidly by treading upon it.
2. British. to spin or cause to rotate.

verb (used without object)

1. Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering. to cause a floating log to rotate rapidly by treading on it.
2. British.
   1. to move or rotate rapidly.
   2. Informal. to spend money freely.
   3. Informal. to gamble.

noun

1. British Informal. an attempt; a gamble.

birl

¹

/ bɜːl; bɪrl /

verb

1. to spin; twirl
2. to cause (a floating log) to spin using the feet while standing on it, esp as a sport among lumberjacks

noun

1. a variant spelling of burl 2

birl

²

/ bɪrl; bɜːl /

verb

1. archaic.
   to ply (one's guests, etc) with drink

Derived Forms

• ˈbirling, noun

Other Words From

• birler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of birl¹

1715–25; perhaps blend of birr ¹ and whirl, influenced, in some senses, by birle

Word History and Origins

Origin of birl¹

C18: probably imitative and influenced by whirl and hurl

Origin of birl²

Old English byrelian ; related to byrele cup-bearer

Example Sentences

There was sea salt in the air, and sleepless seagulls were birling in the darkness overhead.

From The New Yorker

For years, Muir, a self-possessed 12-year-old from the East Bay, told his parents that he was a “birl”: part boy, part girl.

From Washington Post

Birl, birl, v.t. to spin anything round: to throw down a coin as one's share in a joint contribution.—v.i. to whirl round.

From Project Gutenberg

Oh, could I but snap his nerves one by one, and birl among his vitals!

From Project Gutenberg

Already he had mastered the rudiments of “birling,” and could run across floating logs, if not gracefully at least with slight chance of a ducking.

From Project Gutenberg