whir
/wɜː(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /wɜːr/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈ(h)wər How to pronounce whir (audio)/ (ame, mw)
whir — verb
- whirpresent simple I / you / we / they
- whirshe / she / it
- whirredpast simple
- whirring-ing form
- whirrs3rd person singular
1. the form of the word used in American English; the British English equivalent is
the form of the word used in American English; the British English equivalent is spelled w-h-i-r-r.
The American manual says 'the fan will whir quietly,' while the British edition uses the spelling 'whirr'.
variant spelling: whir vs whirr
In US English you write 'whir,' but in UK English the more common spelling is 'whirr' with two r's.
Linh's textbook uses the American spelling whir throughout, but her British teacher writes whirr on the board.
The online dictionary lists whir as the US spelling and whirr as the British variant.
用法筆記
The inflected forms whirred and whirring are the same in both American and British English. The choice between whir and whirr is a matter of regional spelling preference, not a difference in meaning.
2. when a machine, fan, motor, or other device produces a steady, low-pitched sound
when a machine, fan, motor, or other device produces a steady, low-pitched sound because its parts are turning or moving quickly; also used when something like a bird, insect, or vehicle moves very fast and makes this sound.
The computer fan whirred softly as Daichi edited the video file.
whirred + adverb of manner (softly)
Sivan's sewing machine whirred steadily while she made the curtains.
A drone whirred overhead and then disappeared behind the trees.
The old washing machine whirred to life with a sound that filled the basement.
Anjali whirred the blender through the frozen mango chunks.
文法句型
whir + adverb (softly / loudly / steadily)
whir + prepositional phrase (overhead / past / through)
用法筆記
When used intransitively, the subject is typically a machine or moving object (fan, motor, engine, drone). The transitive use ('she whirred the blender') is less common but acceptable in everyday speech. This sense is frequently used with adverbs describing the quality of the sound: softly, loudly, steadily, quietly.
常見錯誤
whir — noun
1. a steady, low sound that lasts for a period of time, created by something such a
a steady, low sound that lasts for a period of time, created by something such as a machine, a motor, or a set of blades moving very quickly.
Theo heard the steady whir of the projector at the back of the classroom.
the whir of + machine
There was a quiet whir as the laptop woke up from sleep mode.
The only noise in the library was the soft whir of the book scanner.
Nora could hear the whir of the helicopter long before she saw it.
A loud whir came from the photocopier as it started printing fifty pages.
- silence
complete absence of sound
文法句型
the whir of + noun (machine / fan / motor)
a whir + prepositional phrase (from / in)
用法筆記
The noun whir is almost always used in the singular. It often appears in the pattern 'the whir of [something]' to identify the source of the sound. It can be modified by adjectives describing volume or quality: steady, soft, quiet, loud, gentle.