sb. Forms: 5 whyrlegyge, (whirlegogge), 5–7 whirlegigg, 6 whirlygigge, whyrlegygge, worlegyg(g, 6–7 whirligigg, 6–8 whirlegig, 7 whirlegigg(e, whirligig(g)e, whirlie-gig, 7–8 whirly(-)gig, (8 whirlagig, 9 whirlgig), 6– whirligig. [orig. (and still to some extent dial.) two words, f. WHIRL- and WHIRLY- + GIG sb.1]
1. Name of various toys that are whirled, twirled, or spun round; spec. † (a) a top or teetotum (cf. GIG sb.1 1); (b) a toy consisting of a small spindle turned by means of a string; (c) a toy with four arms like miniature windmill-sails, which whirl round when it is moved through the air.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 525/1. Whyrlegyge, chyldys game, giraculum.
1530. Palsgr., 288/2. Whirlygigge to play with, pyrouette.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. iii. 191. As a turning Whirli-gig goes round [Fr. Comme la pirouette animee se tourne].
1659. Moxon, Tutor Astron., V. 148. The Gnomon must appear on both sides like the stick in a Whirligig, which children use.
1686. Blome, Gentl. Recreat., II. 148. Pulling the Line you may make the Looking-Glass play in and out as Children do a Whirlegig…. Keep it turning that the twinkling of the Glass against the Sun may provoke the Larks to come to view it.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., III. 43. The Pummel [of the sword] … is neither Round nor Oval, but is flat above and below like a Whirligigg.
1728. Pope, Dunc., III. 57. As … whirligigs, twirl’d round by skilful swain, Suck the thread in, then yield it out again.
1801. Strutt, Sports & Past., IV. iv. § 6. 288. The peg-top … probably originated from the te-totums and whirligigs.
1811. Sporting Mag., XXXVIII. 220. They hold each other tight by the middle, and so go round like whirligigs.
1908. [Eliz. Fowler], Betw. Trent & Ancholme, 77. A … figure of The Christ-Child playing with a ‘Whirligig.’
b. fig. ‘Plaything,’ ‘sport.’
1624. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. ii. I. i. (ed. 2), 356. Thou art Cupids whirlegigge.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. (1683), II. 12. Turning him into … a whirlegig of fate or chance.
2. Applied to various mechanical contrivances having a whirling or rotatory movement; spec. † (a) an instrument of punishment formerly used, consisting of a large cage suspended so as to turn on a pivot; (b) a roundabout or merry-go-round.
In quot. 1601 ? = GIG sb.1 2; in quot. 1623 ? allusively applied to a carriage; in quot. 1822 to a clock.
1477–8. in Swayne, Churchw. Acc. Sarum (1896), 22. Pro vna pecia maeremii de nouo empto pro le Whirlegigg’. Ibid., 23. For a pece of Tymber to the Whirlegogge.
1554. in Sir W. Parker, Hist. Long Melford (1873), 365. Payde to Newman for mending of Hall Myll Bridge, and makyng of a worlegyg, 22d.
1601. Deacon & Walker, Spirits & Divels, 230. The silie poore birdes sit prying at, and playing with the whirligig. [Cf. quot. 1686 in 1.]
1617. J. Taylor (Water P.), Three Weekes Observ., E 2. It is hanged on a turning Gybbet, like a Crane:… It is bigge enough to hold two men, and … if any one or more doe rob gardens … he or they are put into this same whirligigge, or kickumbob, and the gybbet being turned, the offender hangs in this Cage … some 12 or 14 foot from the water,… and with a tricke … the bottom of the cage drops out, and the thiefe fals sodenly into the water. Ibid. (1623), World runs on Wheels, Wks. (1630), II. 238/2. The last Proclamations concerning the retiring of the Gentry out of the City into their Countries … how it cleered the Streetes of these way-stopping Whirligigges!
1788. Grose, Milit. Antiq., II. 204. One [punishment] formerly very common, for trifling offences,… was the whirligig;… a kind of circular wooden cage, which turn’d on a pivot; and … whirled round with such an amazing velocity, that the delinquent became extremely sick.
1822. Scott, Nigel, v. Yonder hall-clock at Theobald’s, and that other whirligig that you made for the Duke of Buckingham.
1839–41. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 71. In the outskirts of the cemeteries, swings and whirligigs are erected.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, II. viii. One of those rotatory entertainments commonly seen in fairs, and known by the name of ‘whirligigs’ or ‘roundabouts.’
3. gen. and fig., in various applications: (a) Something that is continually whirling, or in constant movement or activity of any kind; † (b) a fantastic notion, a crotchet (obs.); (c) circling course, revolution (of time or events); (d) a lively or irregular proceeding, an antic; (e) a circling movement, or condition figured as such, a whirl.
1589. Pasquil’s Ret., B iv b. Euery one that had a whirlegig in his braine, wold haue his own conceit to goe currant.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, Wks. (Grosart), V. 237. Quot capita tot sententiæ, so many heades, so many whirlegigs.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., V. i. 385. And thus the whirlegigge of time brings in his reuenges.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 11. The heathen gods and goddesses, with all their whirligiggs.
1635. Shirley, Coronation, III. (1640), E 2. Phi. Tis a strange turne. Lisa. The whirligigs of women.
1654. Gayton, Pleas. Notes, III. ii. 73. His braines … being as vertiginous as a whirle-poole, presented ten thousand whirlygigs, Windmils, and Turne-pikes to his errantick soule.
1660. Hexham, Dc Key Lotert hem, he hath a Whirlegigg in his head.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, I. (1693), 281. The Whirly-Gig of the Dispensation, which run round from Pope to Pope, and never could be said to settle.
1704. Prior, Ladle, 6. Since They [sc. the gods] gave Things their Beginning; And set this Whirligig a Spinning.
1781. Johnson, in Boswell, 1 April. She is the first woman in the world, could she but restrain that wicked tongue of hers;… could she but command that little whirligig.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, VII. xiii. You’ll put my poor head quite into a whirligig.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, VII. xvi. ¶ 2. This ridiculous baboon … got back again to his old tricks and whirligigs.
1862. Huxley, in Life (1900), I. xv. 198. I was … glad to get your letter at that whirligig of an association meeting.
1874. Symonds, Sk. Italy & Greece (1898), I. ix. 186. The whirligig of events restored Francesco Sforza to his duchy.
1897. ‘Olive P. Rayner’ (Grant Allen), Type-writer Girl, xviii. 194. Water-beetles who dart and dance nimbly in interlacing whirligigs.
1911. Marett, Anthropol., vii. 186. When the whirligig of social change brings the uneducated temporarily to the fore.
b. A fickle, inconstant, giddy or flighty person (cf. GIG sb.1 4); also, one who turns round or moves about actively, as in a dance.
1602. Dekker, Satirom., L 3. No whirligig, one of his faithfull fighters.
1605. Chapman, All Fooles, I. i. 281. To maintaine a wanton whirly-gig, Worth nothing more then she brings on her back.
a. 1704. T. Brown, trans. Æneas Sylvius Lett., lxxxii. Wks. 1709, III. II. 81. Woman is the Whirly-Gig of Nature; she changes so often and swiftly.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 67, ¶ 9. An impudent young Dog … ran to his Partner [in a dance],… and whisked her round…; just as my Girl was going to be made a Whirligig, I ran in, seized on the Child, and carried her home.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, II. iii. Knowing you to be such a merry little whirligig.
1822. T. Mitchell, Com. Aristoph., II. 317. Give way, and make room for their play,… We’ll sit here … and mark how these whirligigs whisk it!
4. A water-beetle of the family Gyrinidæ, esp. the common species Gyrinus natator, found in large numbers circling rapidly over the surface of the water in ponds and ditches. Also w. beetle.
1713. Petiver, Aquat. Anim. Amboinæ, Tab. iv. Trochus Pyramidalis Indicus … Indian Whirligig.
1855. Poultry Chron., III. 378. The Gyrinidæ, or whirligig beetles.
1874. Wood, Insects Abr., 69. The Gyrinidæ, or Whirligig Beetles, of foreign countries … being scarcely larger than our familiar British species.
1877. F. P. Pascoe, Zool. Classif., 110. Gyrinus (Whirlgig).
5. advb. Like a whirligig; with rapid circling movement.
1598. E. Guilpin, Skial. (1878), 51. His head … Wherein ten thousand thoughts runne whirligigge.
1828. Scott, Jrnl., 16 June. To dress my sails to every wind;… and spin round, whirligig.
6. attrib. Resembling a whirligig; characterized by a whirling movement (lit. and fig.). See also 4.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, IV. (Arb.), 120. With whirlygig eyesight Vp to the sky staring.
1614. Purchas, Pilgrimage, III. xiii. (ed. 2), 307. Continuing their whirlegigg-deuotions with continuall turnings (fitly agreeing to so giddie and brainsicke a Religion).
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, IV. xiii. (Roxb.), 521/2. The memory of the heathen gods and Godesses, with all their whirligigg fancies.
1807. W. Irving, Salmag., No. 13 (1811), II. 74. That intoxicating, inflammatory, and whirligig dance, the waltz.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xiii. The changes of this trumpery whirligig world.
1840. Hood, Kilmansegg, Fancy Ball, xxx. She finished off with a whirligig bout.
1879. Punch, 31 May, 256/1. A scheme to lift the theatre above the whirligig whims of the moment.
Hence Whirligig v., intr. (also with it), to turn like a whirligig, to whirl or spin round (whence Whirligigging ppl. a.).
1598. E. Guilpin, Skial. (1878), 35. This mad-cap world, this whirlygigging age.
1687. A. Lovell, Bergerac’s Com. Hist., 57. These … have been constrained to whirlegig it.
Hood, Up the Rhine, 188. I don’t think I could have gone sweet-hearting with half a score of bouncing girls, ballad-singing, and whirligigging along with me.
1872. ‘Aliph Cheem’ (Yeldham), Lays of Ind (1876), 6. The dancers … postured, bobbed, whirligigged, wriggled.
