English

Verb

birl ‎(third-person singular simple present birls, present participle birling, simple past and past participle birled)

1. (intransitive, Scotland) To spin.
   • 1893, Robert Louis Stevenson, Catriona, Chapter XXII: Helvoetsluys,

     About nine in the morning, in a burst of wintry sun between two squalls of hail, I had my first look of Holland - a line of windmills birling in the breeze.

   • 1906, Neil Munro, The Vital Spark, reprinted in 1958, Para Handy Tales,

     "I'll maybe no trouble you long, boys," he moaned lugubriously. "My heid's birling roond that fast that I canna even mind my own name two meenutes."

2. (transitive) To cause (a floating log) to rotate by treading on it.
   • 1903 April, Stewart Edward White, The Riverman, published in McClure's Magazine, Volume 20,

     "That's nothing!" my companion repressed me, "anybody can birl a log. Watch this."

     Roaring Dick for the first time unfolded his arms. With some appearance of caution he balanced his unstable footing into absolute immobility. Then he turned a somersault.

Noun

birl ‎(plural birls)

1. (music, bagpipes) A type of grace note movement that quickly switches between low-A and low-G several times, producing a low rippling sound. ^[1]

References

1. ↑ www.mcnabbs.org - Introduction to Bagpipe Music

Etymology 2

See birle.

Verb

birl ‎(third-person singular simple present birls, present participle birling, simple past and past participle birled)

1. Alternative form of birle