To spin or rotate rapidly in circles, or to move something very quickly around a central point.
From Old Norse 'hvirfla' meaning 'to turn' or 'to twist'. The word traveled through Middle English and Scandinavian languages. It's related to 'wharf' in some interpretations and carries the sense of rotating motion throughout its history.
The word 'whirl' and the physics concept of 'whirlpool' come from the same root, but 'whirl' can be joyful (spinning around) while a whirlpool is dangerous—showing how the same physical motion has opposite emotional meanings depending on context!
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