skirl

English

Etymology

Originally from Scots and Northern English dialects (as a verb), probably of Old Norse origin; ultimately imitative.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /skɜːl/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)l

Verb

skirl (third-person singular simple present skirls, present participle skirling, simple past and past participle skirled)

1. (Scotland, Northern England) To make a shrill sound, as of bagpipes.
   • 1819, Walter Scott, “The Bride of Lammermoor”, in Collection of Ancient and Modern British Authors, Volume 14, published 1839, page 91:

     Come here, or stay where ye are, and skirl as loud ye can — it's a' ye're gude for — l say, ye auld deevil, skirl — skirl — louder — louder, woman — gar the gentles hear ye in the ha' — I have heard ye as far off as the Bass for a less matter.

   • 1829, James Hogg (as the Ettrick Shepherd), The p and the q, Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 26, page 693,

     He gloom'd and he skirl'd, and, when in hard case, / He whiles gae his mother a yerk on the face;

   • 1985, Anthony Burgess, The Kingdom of the Wicked:

     Drums began to thump in a variety of rhythms. The flautists were not sure what to play. The shawm began to skirl.

Noun

skirl (plural skirls)

1. (Scotland, Northern England) A shrill sound, as of bagpipes.
   • 1977, Raja Proctor, The Illicit Immigrant, page 92:

     To a resounding wail headed by the King-Kong skirl, all gangs joined in hauling in the net.

   • 2003, Michael Morpurgo, The Last Wolf, page 26:

     'Have we found a son only to lose him?' she cried, 'And what for? For the skirl of the pipes, is it? […] '

   • 2006 [Bantam], Nick Drake, Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead, 2011, Black Swan, page 191,

     The last servants and late officials hurried into their places, the guards took their positions, and then, with a beating of the drums and a skirl of reed pipes, the whole group made its way back across the courtyard and up the stairs to the Window of Appearances between the palace and the Great Temple.

   • 2024 August 7, Paul Bigland, “'3 Peaks by Rail': ain't no mountain high enough”, in RAIL, number 1015, page 51:

     They were greeted with applause, medals and the skirl of bagpipes from our lone piper - a sound some told us encouraged tired legs for the last half-mile as the pipes could be heard on the mountain.

Anagrams

• lirks

Scots

Verb

skirl (third-person singular simple present skirls, present participle skirlin, simple past skirlt, past participle skirlt)

1. to make a shrill sound, as of bagpipes
2. to scream
3. to shriek
4. to laugh shrilly

Noun

skirl (plural skirls)

1. shrill, piercing noise
2. scream, screech