swirl

Etymology

From Middle English swirlen (“to eddy, swirl”), probably from Old Norse *svirla (“to swirl”), a frequentative form of Old Norse sverra (“to swing, twirl”). Cognate with Scots swirl, sworl (“to eddy, swirl”), Norwegian Nynorsk svirla (“to whirl around; swirl”), Swedish sorla (“to murmur, buzz”), Dutch zwirrelen (“to swirl”). Compare also West Frisian swiere (“to reel, whirl”), Dutch zwieren (“to reel, swing around”), German Low German swirren (“to whizz, whirl or buzz around”), German schwirren (“to whirr, whizz, buzz”), Swedish svirra (“to whirr about, buzz, hum”), Danish svirre (“to whizz, whirr”). Related to English swarm.

verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To twist or whirl, as an eddy.
   I swirled my brush around in the paint.
   The contest was a lot more even in the second half, as the wind swirled around the Stadium of Light, but it took Craig Gardner's superb block to prevent Young getting on the scoresheet. May 13, 2012, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport
2. To be arranged in a twist, spiral or whorl.
3. (figurative) To circulate.
   Mr. Cameron had a respite Thursday from the negative chatter swirling around him when he appeared outside 10 Downing Street to denounce the murder a day before of a British soldier on a London street. May 23 2013, Sarah Lyall, “British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-05-29
4. (African-American Vernacular, dated) To mingle interracially.

noun

1. A whirling eddy.
2. A twist or coil of something.
3. (fishing) The upward rushing of a fish through the water to take the bait.
4. (African-American Vernacular, dated) Interracial mingling (e.g. dating, sex, marriage, etc.).
   She told that white boy she wasn't down with the swirl and to take himself a hike.