Advertisement
Advertisement
birl
[burl]
verb (used with object)
Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering.to cause (a floating log) to rotate rapidly by treading upon it.
British.to spin or cause to rotate.
verb (used without object)
Chiefly Northern U.S. Lumbering.to cause a floating log to rotate rapidly by treading on it.
British.
to move or rotate rapidly.
Informal.to spend money freely.
Informal.to gamble.
noun
British Informal.an attempt; a gamble.
birl
1/ bɜːl, bɪrl /
verb
to spin; twirl
to cause (a floating log) to spin using the feet while standing on it, esp as a sport among lumberjacks
noun
a variant spelling of burl 2
birl
2/ bɪrl, bɜːl /
verb
archaicto ply (one's guests, etc) with drink
Other 51Թ Forms
- birler noun
- ˈԲ noun
51Թ History and Origins
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of birl1
Origin of birl2
Example Sentences
There was sea salt in the air, and sleepless seagulls were birling in the darkness overhead.
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.
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.
Oh, could I but snap his nerves one by one, and birl among his vitals!
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.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse
