The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Whirl \Whirl\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Whirled; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Whirling.] [OE. whirlen, probably from the Scand.; cf.
   Icel. & Sw. hvirfla, Dan. hvirvle; akin to D. wervelen, G.
   wirbeln, freq. of the verb seen in Icel. hverfa to turn.
   [root]16. See Wharf, and cf. Warble, Whorl.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To turn round rapidly; to cause to rotate with velocity;
      to make to revolve.
      [1913 Webster]

            He whirls his sword around without delay. --Dryden.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To remove or carry quickly with, or as with, a revolving
      motion; to snatch; to harry. --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

            See, see the chariot, and those rushing wheels,
            That whirled the prophet up at Chebar flood.
                                                  --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]

            The passionate heart of the poet is whirl'd into
            folly.                                --Tennyson.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Whirling \Whirl"ing\,
   a. & n. from Whirl, v. t.
   [1913 Webster]

   Whirling table.
   (a) (Physics) An apparatus provided with one or more
       revolving disks, with weights, pulleys, and other
       attachments, for illustrating the phenomena and laws of
       centrifugal force, and the like.
   (b) A potter's wheel.
       [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

whirling
    n 1: the act of rotating in a circle or spiral [syn: gyration,
         whirling]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

35 Moby Thesaurus words for "whirling":
   angular momentum, angular motion, angular velocity, axial motion,
   bowling, centrifugation, circulation, circumgyration,
   circumrotation, full circle, gyrating, gyration, pivoting, reeling,
   revolution, revolving, roll, rolling, rotating, rotation,
   rotational motion, spin, spinning, swinging, swirling, swiveling,
   trolling, trundling, turbination, turning, twirling, volutation,
   volution, wheeling, whir