whirligig
Anything that whirls or spins around, such as a toy top or a merry-go-roundAnything that whirls or spins around, such as a toy top or a merry-go-round.
Meaning
3 sensesAnything that whirls or spins around, such as a toy top or a merry-go-round.
вертушкаvertuška
A device incorporating spinning, wind-driven propellers or pinwheels, used as whimsical outdoor decoration in a garden or on a porch.
(historical)A device for punishing prisoners, comprising a wooden cage that rapidly spins around to induce nausea.
- a conical child's plaything tapering to a steel point on which it can be made to spin
- a large, rotating machine with seats for children to ride on for amusement
Translations
2 languagesBy meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English whyrlegygge; equivalent to whirl (noun or verb) + gig (“a top”).From Middle English whyrlegygge; equivalent to whirl (noun or verb) + gig (“a top”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: whirligigsSynonyms
7 synonyms- a conical child's plaything tapering to a steel point on which it can be made to spin:topteetotumspinning top
- a large, rotating machine with seats for children to ride on for amusement:carouselcarrouselmerry-go-roundroundabout
Word family
1 related wordsSee also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.