whipster

[Eng. whip; -ster.] A nimble young fellow; a sharp fellow. (Used with some degree of contempt.) "Every puny whipster gets my sword." Shakesp.: Othello, v. 2. whipt, pa. par. or a. [WHIP, v.] whir, v. i. & t. [Prob. imitative, like whiz. Cf. Dan, hvirre to whirl, twirl; Sw. dial. hwirra.] A. In trans.: To whiz, to fly, dart, revolve, or otherwise move quickly with a whizzing or buzzing sound. " Whirring thence, as if alarm'd." Thomson: Spring, 693. IMG:content-0838.jpg:[graphic] *B. Trans.: To hurry away with a whizzing noise. Shakesp.: Pericles, iv. 1. "Whirring me from my friends." whir, *whirr, subst. [WHIR, v.] A whirring or whizzing sound. "The wide simultaneous whirr of shouldered muskets." -Carlyle: French Revol ., pt. ii., bk. ii., ch. iii. whirl, *whyrle, v . t . & i. [For whirfle , from Icel. hvirfla =to whirl, frequent. of hverfa (pa. t. hvarf ) =to turn round; cogn. with Dut. hvirvle =to whirl; Sw. hvirfha to whirl; hvarf =a turn; O. Dut. wervelen; Ger. wirbeln to whirl.] A. Transitive : 1. To turn round or cause to revolve rapidly; to turn with velocity. "The Mehaigne whirled down its bridges to the Meuse." -Macaulay : Hist . Eng . , ch. xix. 2. To carry away or remove by something that riage. IMG:content-0839.png:[blocks in formation] IMG:content-0840.png:[blocks in formation] Bot.: Desmodium gyrans . whirling-table, s . 1. Ord. Lang.: A machine contrived for the pur pose of exhibiting the principal effects of centripe- circumference of circles or on an axis. IMG:content-0841.png:[blocks in formation] "The whirle-fire's cracking flash." Sylvester: The Lawe, 1,011 *whirl-puff, *whirle-puff, s. A whirlwind. "It makes a whirle - puffe or ghust called Typhen."- and Warae, where it exists, at one time from north to south, at another in the reverse direction. When the wind acts obliquely on the tidal current, a cer- tain approach to vortical motion may be discerned, but there is no genuine whirl. It is the same with the cla ic whirlpool alleged to exist between Scylla and Charybdis. There is a tumult of waters in stormy weather, but nothing more. The whirlpool of Coryvrechan, or Corrievreken, alluded to by Scott ( Lord of the Isles, iv. 11), is situated between the north of Jura and the little island of Scarba in the He brides. The strong current which runs through the channel between the two islands en- counters a pyramidal rock rising to within fifteen fathoms of the surface, and, becoming deflected from the straight course, takes a circular form. *2. Zool.: A kind of whale; a whirl-whale. "The ork, whirlpool , whale, or huffing physeter." Sylvester: Du Bartas , fifth day, first week. whirl-wig, 8. [Eng. whirl , and A. S. wiega , a kind of insect, a species of bug or beetle, .] Entom.: Gyrinus natator . [GYRINUS.] somewhat to the west of a south wind, when the outer currents come in contact if the north wind is the stronger, the direction of the whirl would be north, west, south, east; but the whirl-current will move in a contrary direction if the south wind be the stronger, Whirlwinds often originate in the trop ics, especially in flat, sandy districts, during the hot season. The ground becoming unequally heated by the sun, gives rise to ascending columns of heated air, which result in whirl-currents drawing up large clouds of dust, and frequently doing great damage to buildings and crops. [SIMOOM, WATERSPOUT.] "In this dire season, oft the whirlwind's wing Sweeps up the burden of whole wintry plains At one wide waft." Thomson: Winter , 269. 2. Fig .: A violent rush. "The deer was flying through the park, followed by the whirlwind of hounds and hunters."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng., ch. xxi. IMG:content-0842.png:[blocks in formation] *2. Formed into whiskers. whiskered-bat, s. The American Dictionary and Cyclopedia whis'-kět, s. [Etym. doubtful.] 1. A basket. (Prov.) 2. A small lathe for turning wooden pins.