1. An eddy or vortex of water; a place in a body of water where the water moves round in a circle so as to produce a depression or cavity in the center, into which floating objects may be drawn; any body of water having a more or less circular motion caused by its flowing in an irregular channel, by the coming together of opposing currents, or the like.
2. A sea monster of the whale kind. [Obs.] Spenser. The Indian Sea breedeth the most and the biggest fishes that are; among which the whales and whirlpools, called "balænæ," take up in length as much as four . . . arpents of land. Holland.
WHIRLWIG
Whirl"wig`, n. Etym: [Cf. Earwig.] (Zoöl.)
Defn: A whirligig.
WHIRLWIND Whirl"wind`, n. Etym: [Cf. Icel. hvirfilvindr, Sw. hvirfvelvind, Dan. hvirvelvind, G. wirbelwind. See Whirl, and Wind, n.]
1. 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. The swift dark whirlwind that uproots the woods. And drowns the villages. Bryant.
Note: Some meteorologists apply the word whirlwind to the larger rotary storm also, such as cyclones.
2. Fig.: A body of objects sweeping violently onward. "The whirlwind of hounds and hunters." Macaulay.
WHIRRY
Whir"ry, v. i.
Defn: To whir. [Obs.]