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swirl

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swirl about someone or something

[for something, such as dust or a fluid] to circle and wind about someone or something. The snow swirled about me as I walked along. The smoke swirled about the tiny campfire.

See also: swirl

swirl around

[for dust or a fluid] to circle around. The liquid swirled around in the flask as Toby shook it up. Dust swirled around the room in the sunlight.

See also: around, swirl

swirl around

v.

1. To move with a twisting or whirling motion; eddy: It's hard to fly a kite when the wind swirls around like this.

2. To move around something with a twisting or whirling motion, as in an eddy: As I stood in the river, the water swirled around my legs. The snow swirled around us.

3. To apply something in swirls over some area: The baker swirled the icing around the cake. I swirled syrup around the pancakes.

4. To circulate among some group of people in response to a particular subject: Rumors swirled around Hollywood.

5. To circulate or occur in response to something or someone that is controversial, provocative, or secretive: Rumors swirled around the governor. Controversy swirled around the new budget.

See also: around, swirl