whirring
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Making a continuous, low, vibrating, or buzzing sound: Describes something that produces a sound like that of rapid mechanical movement or vibration.
Noun:
- A continuous, low, vibrating, or buzzing sound: The sound produced by something moving or operating very quickly.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The whirring fan provided background noise in the quiet room.
- We could hear the whirring mechanism inside the old clock.
Noun:
- The steady whirring of the computer's hard drive was the only sound.
- The whirring of the helicopter's blades grew louder as it approached.
Advanced Usage
- "with a whirring sound": Used to describe an action accompanied by this specific noise.
- The machine started up with a whirring sound.
- The adjective form is often used to create a vivid auditory image in descriptive writing.
Variants and Related Words
- Whir (verb, noun): The base form. (e.g., The gears began to . The of the engine.)
- Whirred (verb, past tense): (e.g., The camera as it took the picture.)
Synonyms
- Adjective: Buzzing, humming, droning, purring.
- Noun: Buzz, hum, drone, purr.
Related Idioms or Phrases
- While not a standalone idiom, "whirring into action" is a common collocation describing something starting up or beginning to operate quickly and with a characteristic sound.
- Upon hearing the alarm, the entire factory whirred into action.
Adjective
- like the sound of rapidly vibrating wings
Noun
- sound of something in rapid motion
- whir of a bird's wings
- the whir of the propellers