Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WHIP'PLE-TREE,

n, [whip and tree; but qu. is it not Whiffle-tree?] The bar to which the traces or tugs of a harness are fastened, and by which a carriage, a plow, a harrow or other impelement is drawn.

WHIP'PO-WIL, a.

The popular name of an American bird, so called from its note, or the sounds of its voice; a species of Caprimulgus. [Not whip-poor-will.]

WHIP-SAW, n. [whip and saw.]

A saw to be used by two persons.

WHIP'-STAFF, n. [whip and staff.]

in ships, a bar by which the rudder is turned. In small vessels this is called the tiller.

WHIP'STER, n.

A nimble fellow. Prior.

WHIP-STITCH, a. t. [whip and stitch.]

In agriculture, u half-plow or to rafter land. This word, I believe, is no used in America. The practice of whip-stitching resembles what is called in America ridging.

WHIPSTOCK, n. [whip and stock.]

The rod or staff tt which the lash of a whip is fastened.

WHIPT, pp.

of Whip; sometimes used for Whipped.

WHIR, v. hwurl.

To whirl round with noise; to fly wit noise.

WHIR, v.t.

To hurry.

WHIRL, n. [G. wirbel; Dan. hvirvell.]

1. A turning with rapidity or velocity; rapid rotation or circumvolution; quick gyration; as, the whirl of a top; th whirl of a wheel; the whirl of time; the whirls of fancy. Creech. Pope.
2. Any thing that moves or is turned with velocity, particularly on an axis or pivot.
3. A hook used in twisting.
4. In botany, a species of inflorescence, consisting of many subsessile flowers surrounding the stem in a ring. It is also written whorl and wherl. Martyn.
5. In conchology, each volution of a turreted shell.

WHIRL, v.i.

1. To be turned round rapidly; to move lnun with velocity; as, the whirling spindles of a cotton m chine or wheels of a coach. The wooden engine flies and whirls ahout. Dryden.
2. To move hastily. But whirl'd away to shun his hateful sight. Dryden.

WHIRL, v.t. hwurl. [Sax. hwyrfon; D. wervelen; G. wir beln, to whirl, to warble; Dan. hrirveler, Sw. hvirjla, t whirl, Dan. hvirvelbeen, whirl-bone, vertebra; hvirvelsoz whirl-sea, a whirlpool; Sw. hvirfvel, Ice. whirla, a whirl We see that whirl and warble are dialectical forms of the same word, and bath probably from the root of L. verto an Eng. veer.]

To turn round rapidly; to turn with velocity. He whirls his sword around without delay. Dryden.

WHIRL'-BAT, n. [whirl and bat.]

Any thing moved with a whirl as preparatory for a blow, or to augment the force of it. Poets use it for the ancient cesium. The whirl-bat and the rapid race shall be Resery'd for Cesar. Dryden.

WHIRL'-BLAST, n. [whirl and blast.]

A whirling blast of wind. Entick.

WHIRL'-BONE, n. [whirl and bone.]

The patella; the cap of the knee; the knee-pan. Ainsworth.

WHIRL'ED, pp.

1. Turned round with velocity.
2. In botany, growing in whirls; hearing whirls; verticillate.

WHIRL'I-GIG, n. [whirl and gig.]

1. A toy which children spin or whirl round. Johnson.
2. In military antiquities, an instrument for punishing petty offenders, as sutlers, brawling women, &c.; a kind of wooden cage turning on a pivot, in which the offender was whirled round with great velocity. Cyc.

WHIRL'ING, ppr.

Turning or moving round with velocity.

WHIRLING-TA-BLE, n.

A machine contrived to exhibit, and demonstrate the principal laws of gravitation, and of the planetary motions m curvilinear orbits. Cyc.

WHIRL-PIT, n.

A whirlpool. [Not used.]

WHIRLPOOL, n. [whirl and pool.]

An eddy of water a vortex or gulf where the water moves round in a circle. In some cases, a whirlpool draws things to its center and absorbs them, as is the case with the Maelstrom off the coast of Norway.

WHIRL'W'IND, n. [whirl and wind.]

A violent wind moving in a circle, or rather in a spiral form, as if moving round an axis; this axis or the perpendicular column moving horizontally, raising and whirling dust, leaves and the like.

WHIR-RAW',

See HOORA.

WHIR'RING, n.

The sound of partridge's or pheasant's wings. Note. Whir is used by the common people in New England in an adverbial manner, to express the rapid flight or the sound of any thing thrown. [See Whir.]