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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quhirl(l, v. Also: quhirle, quhyrl; vhirl, whirl. [ME and e.m.E. ȝwirl (c1290), whirll, whyrl(e, wyrl (14th c.), late north. ME quirl (a1450), ON hvirfla to whirl (obs. Dan. hvirle), related to ON hvirfill, Quhirl(l n. Cf. OE hwearftlian, hwyrftlian to rotate.]

1. intr. a. To rotate (about) around an axis, like a wheel; to spin. b. To move in a circle, to circulate. c. To fly, hurtle, move with speed and force.a. 1513 Doug. ii v 1.
Wyth this the hevyn sa quhyrlit about his speir Out of the sey the dym nycht gan appeir Ib. vii vi 88.
The round tap of tre Hyt with the twynyt quhip dois quhirl [E. quherk (see Quherk v.), Ruddim. quhirle, L. volitans] Ib. 96.
This turnyt tre so all that berdles rowt Ferleis to se swa sleip and quhirl [Sm. swirll] abowt a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii 148.
Ȝon is Charybdis that vhirlis ay aboutb. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 690.
The planetis, in thair circlis round Quhirling about with merie soundc. 1513 Doug. iii viii 118.
And thrys the fame furth spowt, that so hie quhirlyt [: thyrlyt] It semyt watir the starnys Ib. xii xiii 158 (see Quhirr v.).

2. tr. To quhirl (something) about, to turn or spin (something), as around an axis; to cause to rotate.Quot. Doug. xiii may properly belong to 1 above. 1513 Doug. i iii 41.
And the schip with this Thrys thar the flude quhirlit [L. torquet] about round Ib. xiii Prol. 14.
The son enfyrit haill … Quhirlit [Ruddim. quhirllit] about hys ball with bemys brycht Declynand fast towart the north c1590 J. Stewart 226/104.
As from mylfa suift vater doune dois rout to … quhirle the quheill about a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii 28.
Quhen with a quhisk sho [sc. Fortune] quhirlis about hir quheill 1629 Boyd Last B. 469.
Poore man's life on earth is like a restlesse whirle-gigge, whirled about

3. To drive (a horse) (? in a curve or circle). — 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 30.
Eous the steid … The flambe owtbrastyng at his noys thyrlys Sa fast Pheton with the quhyp hym quhyrlys [1553 quhillis]

4. To confuse or complicate (one's tracks) by eccentric or irregular movements. — 1513 Doug. v x 84.
In coursys mony ane Quhirlys thar trays [L. vestigia cursu impediunt] thir ȝong childir Troiane