Whirlwind

Whirlwind
Whirlwind Whirl"wind`, n. [Cf. Icel. hvirfilvindr, Sw. hvirfvelvind, Dan. hvirvelvind, G. wirbelwind. See {Whirl}, and {Wind}, n.] [1913 Webster] 1. A violent windstorm of limited extent, as the tornado, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air. It usually has a rapid progressive motion. [1913 Webster]

The swift dark whirlwind that uproots the woods. And drowns the villages. --Bryant. [1913 Webster]

Note: Some meteorologists apply the word whirlwind to the larger rotary storm also, such as cyclones. [1913 Webster]

2. Fig.: A body of objects sweeping violently onward. ``The whirlwind of hounds and hunters.'' --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Whirlwind — may refer to: * An atmospheric phenomenon, see whirlwind (atmospheric phenomenon) * whirlwind, an ancient chinese siege weapon * Whirlwind , an episode in the World War Two documentary The World at War concerning the allied bombing of Germany.… …   Wikipedia

  • Whirlwind — Whirlwind, également appelé L’Homme toupie en français dans les publications Arédit/Artima ou Cyclone dans L’Intégrale Avengers de Marvel France, est un super vilain appartenant à l’univers de Marvel Comics. Il a été créé par Stan Lee et Jack… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • whirlwind — ► NOUN 1) a column of air moving rapidly round and round in a cylindrical or funnel shape. 2) a very energetic or tumultuous person or process. 3) (before another noun ) very rapid and unexpected: a whirlwind romance. ● (sow the wind and) reap… …   English terms dictionary

  • whirlwind — [hwʉrl′wind΄, wʉrl′wind΄] n. [ME whirlwynd, prob. based on ON hvirfilvindr] 1. a current of air whirling violently upward in a spiral motion around a more or less vertical axis that has a forward motion 2. anything resembling a whirlwind, as in… …   English World dictionary

  • whirlwind — whirlwind, cyclone, typhoon, hurricane, tornado, waterspout, twister share the basic notion of a rotary motion of the wind. Whirlwind is applied to a small windstorm which begins with an inward and upward spiral motion of the lower air and is… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • whirlwind — mid 14c., from WHIRL (Cf. whirl) (v.) + WIND (Cf. wind) (n.), probably on model of O.N. hvirfilvindr …   Etymology dictionary

  • whirlwind — [adj] very fast cyclonic, hasty, headlong, hurricane, impetuous, impulsive, lightning, quick, rapid, rash, short, speedy, swift, tornado; concepts 588,798 Ant. slow …   New thesaurus

  • whirlwind — [[t](h)wɜ͟ː(r)lwɪnd[/t]] whirlwinds 1) N COUNT A whirlwind is a tall column of air which spins round and round very fast and moves across the land or sea. 2) N COUNT: usu sing, with supp, usu N of n You can describe a situation in which a lot of… …   English dictionary

  • Whirlwind — Der Whirlwind 1 im Computer History Museum, Kalifornien Der Whirlwind Computer (von engl. Whirlwind für Wirbelwind ) wurde von 1945 bis 1952 am Massachusetts Institute of Technology nach einem während des Zweiten Weltkrieges vergebenen Auftrag… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • whirlwind — /hwerrl wind , werrl /, n. 1. any of several relatively small masses of air rotating rapidly around a more or less vertical axis and advancing simultaneously over land or sea, as a dust devil, tornado, or waterspout. 2. anything resembling a… …   Universalium

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