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by Liz Walter

This week’s post looks at the topic of circular movements. It is quite surprising how many verbs we have to describe different ways of turning round and round or moving things in a circular motion.

I’ll start with two fairly basic verbs. Round objects such as balls or long things, including people, roll when they move by turning over and over, and if you twist something, you turn it or bend it with a circular motion, usually several times:

We watched in horror as the bottle rolled off the table and smashed.

I twisted some wire around the stick to hold it in place.

If someone or something circles, it moves in a circle, often around something:

We could see the owl circling its prey.

If something rotates or revolves, it moves in a circle, usually around a central point. Something that pivots also turns from a central point, but usually for only a single circle or part of a circle. These are all words that are typically used in rather formal contexts:

The Earth rotates every 24 hours.

We entered the building through a revolving door.

When he saw that Lucien was there, he pivoted on his heel and walked out.

Spin also describes movement around a central point but has the added implication that the movement is fast. Something that spirals also moves in (usually fast) circles but goes up or down at the same time. It is often used for things whose movement is out of control:

Suddenly, I felt as though the room were spinning around me.

The aircraft spiralled to the ground and burst into flames.

Whirl is often used for situations where you are describing something exciting such as dancing, or someone experiencing emotions such as anger or surprise. It describes a fast, energetic movement. If you twirl, you move or dance in a circular motion. This verb implies a cheerful action in situations that are not very serious:

He whirled around furiously and punched Philip in the face.

She skipped along the street, twirling an umbrella in her hand.

Finally, if something such as mist, a gas, or a liquid swirls, it moves with a circular motion:

At midday the mist was still swirling in the valley below us.

I should add that, with the exception of ‘spiral’, all of these verbs have both a transitive or an intransitive use. In other words they can be used with or without an object. I hope they are useful and don’t make your head spin!