- 1（機器、翅膀快速轉動時發出的）嗡嗡聲、呼呼聲；發出嗡嗡聲
To make a low, steady, buzzing or humming sound, made by something moving very fast — usually spinning wings or a small machine. Think of a hummingbird's wings, a fan, a camera, a hard drive, an old .
To make a low, steady, buzzing or humming sound發出一種低沉、穩定、嗡嗡的聲音, made by something moving very fast是某個東西動得很快發出來的——usually spinning wings or a small machine通常是旋轉的翅膀或小機器。Think of a hummingbird's wings, a fan, a camera, a hard drive, an old projector想想蜂鳥的翅膀、電風扇、相機、硬碟、舊式放映機。
The sound is soft and continuous, not sharp: a whirr goes on and on at the same level, and it is usually not loud enough to bother you. It is often a friendly, almost pleasant sound, the sound of something working properly.
The sound is soft and continuous這個聲音又軟又連續, not sharp不刺耳: a whirr goes on and on at the same levelwhirr 會一直持續在同一個音量上, and it is usually not loud enough to bother you通常不會大聲到讓你受不了。It is often a friendly, almost pleasant sound它常常是一種親切、幾乎讓人舒服的聲音, the sound of something working properly是東西正常運作時發出的聲音。
Used as a verb (the fan whirred all night) and as a noun (the whirr of the machine). You will also see it spelled 'whir', with one r, especially in American writing; both are correct, and the two-r spelling is more common in Britain.
Used as a verb可以當動詞用 (the fan whirred all night)（the fan whirred all night，電風扇整晚嗡嗡響） and as a noun也可以當名詞用 (the whirr of the machine)（the whirr of the machine，機器的嗡嗡聲）。You will also see it spelled 'whir'你也會看到拼成 'whir', with one r只有一個 r, especially in American writing尤其是美式英文; both are correct兩種拼法都對, and the two-r spelling is more common in Britain雙 r 的拼法在英國比較常見。
English has a family of these sound words — buzz, hum, whirr — and they overlap a lot. Roughly: buzz is rougher and more , hum is lower and smoother, whirr sits between them and always carries the idea of fast spinning.
English has a family of these sound words英文有一整組這樣的擬聲字——buzz, hum, whirrbuzz、hum、whirr——and they overlap a lot彼此重疊很多。Roughly大致上: buzz is rougher and more annoyingbuzz 比較粗、比較煩人, hum is lower and smootherhum 比較低沉、比較平順, whirr sits between themwhirr 介在兩者之間 and always carries the idea of fast spinning而且永遠帶著快速旋轉的意思。
Writers use it a lot; in everyday speech people are more likely to just say 'it was making a noise'.
Writers use it a lot作家很常用這個字; in everyday speech但在日常口語裡 people are more likely to just say大家比較會直接說 'it was making a noise''it was making a noise'（它在發出聲音）。
core核心畫面
組成An imitation word — it is built to sound like the thing it describes. It came into English from Middle English 'whirren', probably borrowed from Old Norse; compare Danish 'hvirre' and Old Norse 'hvirfla', meaning to whirl or spin. So the idea of spinning was in the word from the very beginning, and the sound meaning grew out of it.
原始詞典資料7 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，摘錄並精簡格式，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
whirrverb/wɜː/
- 1
To move or vibrate (something) with a buzzing sound.
- 2
To make a sibilant buzzing or droning sound.
- In a city where media companies and hospitals have armed guards, this accessibility is unusual. Inside, drivers sit and chat in between shifts, the overhead fan whirring and causing the dim electric light to flicker over their faces.
- 3
To cause (something) to make such a sound.
- 4
(of a panther) To make a vibrating sound in its throat when contented, much like the domestic cat’s purr.
whirrnoun/wɜː/
- 1
A sibilant buzz or vibration; the sound of something in rapid motion.
- As Jane turned from the telephone she heard the whirr of a motor. That would be the children coming home from school. The car called for them at the playground every afternoon at five.
- At that moment a flight of birds passed close overhead, and at the whirr of their wings a panic fear seized her.
- 2
A bustle of noise and excitement.
- 3
The vibrating sound made by a panther in its throat when contented.
摘錄自 英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary，已精簡格式；依 CC BY-SA 4.0 授權使用，改動後的內容同樣以此授權提供。