whirlwind
UK /ˈwɜːlwɪnd/ · US /ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/ noun, adjective
Forms whirlwinds
- noun A windstorm of limited extent, such as a tornado, dust devil, or waterspout, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the center; a vortex of air.
- noun (figurative) A person or body of objects or events sweeping violently onward. “Once he got that new scooter he turned into a whirlwind and damaged all the flowers.”
- adjective Rapid and minimal. “a whirlwind tour, a whirlwind romance”
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English whirlewind, whirlewynde, equivalent to whirl + wind. Compare Middle Dutch wervelwint, Old Norse hvirfilvindr.
Webster’s 1913
- noun 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.
- noun Fig.: A body of objects sweeping violently onward. "The whirlwind of hounds and hunters." Macaulay.
Etymology [Cf. Icel. hvirfilvindr, Sw. hvirfvelvind, Dan. hvirvelvind, G. wirbelwind. See Whirl, and Wind, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “whirlwind”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details