whirry

English

Etymology 1

From whirr +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈwɜːɹi/, /ʍɜːɹi/ (adjective)

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈwɝ.ɹi/, /ˈʍɝ.ɹi/ (adjective)

Adjective

whirry (comparative more whirry, superlative most whirry)

1. (rare) Making a whirr sound or motion.

Noun

whirry (plural whirries)

1. (obsolete) A sudden or quick movement; a whirr.

Verb

whirry (third-person singular simple present whirries, present participle whirrying, simple past and past participle whirried)

1. (obsolete, transitive) To convey swiftly.
   • 1817, Sir Walter Scott, Tales of my Landlord:

     See now, mither, what ye hae dune," whispered Cuddie ; ' " there's the Philistines, as ye ca' them, are gaun to whirry awa' Mr. Henry, and a' wi' your nashgab, deil be on't !".

   • 1820, Sir Walter Scott, Monastery:

     Some of the quality, that were o' his ain unhappy persuasion, had the corpse whirried away up the water.

2. (obsolete, intransitive) To hurry; to go swiftly.
   • 1818, Sir Walter Scott, Heart of Mid-Lothian:

     Her and the gudeman will be whirrying through the blue lift on a broom-shank.

Etymology 2

Noun

whirry (plural whirries)

1. Obsolete spelling of wherry.

Middle English

Noun

whirry

1. Alternative form of quyrre (“quarry”)