Meaning of birl | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To spin.
   Scotland, ambitransitive
2. To cause (a floating log) to rotate by treading on it.
   transitive
3. To throw down a coin as one's share in a joint contribution.
   transitive

Examples

“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."”

“"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.”

“So saying, he led the way out through halls and trances that were weel kend to my gudesire, and into the auld oak parlour; and there was as much singing of profane sangs^([sic]), and birling of red wine, and speaking blasphemy and sculduddry, as had ever been in Redgauntlet Castle when it was at the blithest.”

CEFR level