Whorl

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Whorl \Whorl\, n. [OE. whorvil the whirl of a spindle; akin to
     AS. hweorfa the whirl of a spindle, hweorfan to turn; cf. OD.
     worvel the whirl of a spindle. See {Whirl}, n. & v.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. (Bot.) A circle of two or more leaves, flowers, or other
        organs, about the same part or joint of a stem.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Zool.) A volution, or turn, of the spire of a univalve
        shell.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Spinning) The fly of a spindle.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  whorl
       n 1: a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles [syn:
             {coil}, {roll}, {curl}, {curlicue}, {ringlet}, {gyre},
            {scroll}]
       2: a strand or cluster of hair [syn: {lock}, {curl}, {ringlet}]
       3: a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous
          series of loops; "a coil of rope" [syn: {coil}, {spiral},
          {volute}, {helix}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  41 Moby Thesaurus words for "whorl":
     cirrus, coil, contort, corkscrew, crinkle, curl, curlicue, eddy,
     evolute, gurge, gyre, helix, intort, involute, kink, meander, purl,
     ringlet, roll, scallop, screw, scroll, serpentine, slink, snake,
     spiral, swirl, tendril, turn, twine, twirl, twist, twist and turn,
     volute, volution, vortex, whirl, whirlpool, wind, worm, wring