noun
birr
Birr (noun) means Strength, energy or vigour.
noun
1
Strength, energy or vigour.
2
The force or push behind a fast movement.
3
A buzzing, whirring sound.
"A birr! a whirr! the salmon's out, Far on the rushing river; Onward he holds with sudden leap, Or plunges through the whirlpool deep, A desperate endeavour!"
— Michael Balfour, Mysterious Scotland: Enigmas (2012)
4
A strong, trilling sound.
"At all events, the vocabulary of Scots is not only the key to much of our literature, but an asset we should cherish and use to give smeddum and birr to our fushionless English."
— Paul H. Scott, A Rich Vocabulary (1993)
"Gray possesses an unfortunate East of Scotland birr that suggests a 21-year-old student interviewing for his first job."
— Kevin McKenna, Labour needs to challenge Alex Salmond – and quickly (2011)
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Etymology
Came into English from Middle English bir (“favorable or strong wind”), which developed from Old English byre (“strong wind, storm”). It is cognate with Norwegian Nynorsk bør, Icelandic byrr (“sailing winds”), Albanian borë (“snow”), and Polish burza (“storm, thunderstorm”).
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of birr?
"birr" (noun) means strength, energy or vigour.
What is another word for birr?
Other words for "birr" include whirring, whir, whirr.
What are the different meanings of birr?
"birr" has 3 main meanings: 1. Strength, energy or vigour; 2. The force or push behind a fast movement; 3. A buzzing, whirring sound.
