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.
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   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.
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            The passionate heart of the poet is whirl'd into
            folly.                                --Tennyson.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Whirl \Whirl\, v. i.
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To be turned round rapidly; to move round with velocity;
      to revolve or rotate with great speed; to gyrate. "The
      whirling year vainly my dizzy eyes pursue." --J. H.
      Newman.
      [1913 Webster]

            The wooden engine flies and whirls about. --Dryden.
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   2. To move hastily or swiftly.
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            But whirled away to shun his hateful sight.
                                                  --Dryden.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Whirl \Whirl\, n. [Cf. Dan. hvirvel, Sw. hvirfvel, Icel.
   hvirfill the crown of the head, G. wirbel whirl, crown of the
   head, D. wervel. See Whirl, v. t.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. A turning with rapidity or velocity; rapid rotation or
      circumvolution; quick gyration; rapid or confusing motion;
      as, the whirl of a top; the whirl of a wheel. "In no
      breathless whirl." --J. H. Newman.
      [1913 Webster]

            The rapid . . . whirl of things here below interrupt
            not the inviolable rest and calmness of the noble
            beings above.                         --South.
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   2. Anything that moves with a whirling motion.
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            He saw Falmouth under gray, iron skies, and whirls
            of March dust.                        --Carlyle.
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   3. A revolving hook used in twisting, as the hooked spindle
      of a rope machine, to which the threads to be twisted are
      attached.
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   4. (Bot. & Zool.) A whorl. See Whorl.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

whirl
    n 1: confused movement; "he was caught up in a whirl of work";
         "a commotion of people fought for the exits" [syn: whirl,
         commotion]
    2: the shape of something rotating rapidly [syn: whirl,
       swirl, vortex, convolution]
    3: a usually brief attempt; "he took a crack at it"; "I gave it
       a whirl" [syn: crack, fling, go, pass, whirl,
       offer]
    4: the act of rotating rapidly; "he gave the crank a spin"; "it
       broke off after much twisting" [syn: spin, twirl,
       twist, twisting, whirl]
    v 1: turn in a twisting or spinning motion; "The leaves swirled
         in the autumn wind" [syn: twirl, swirl, twiddle,
         whirl]
    2: cause to spin; "spin a coin" [syn: whirl, birl, spin,
       twirl]
    3: flow in a circular current, of liquids [syn: eddy, purl,
       whirlpool, swirl, whirl]
    4: revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis; "The
       dervishes whirl around and around without getting dizzy"
       [syn: spin, spin around, whirl, reel, gyrate]
    5: fly around; "The clothes tumbled in the dryer"; "rising smoke
       whirled in the air" [syn: whirl, tumble, whirl around]