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Glite Dictionary
to give a whirl

to give a whirl

4.9
Try something once to see if you like it or are good at it
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
translation icon : probar
  • I've never tried skydiving before, but I'm excited to give it a whirl this summer.

Examples

  • When I visit a new restaurant, I like to give a whirl to their special dish of the day.

  • She decided to give a whirl at painting, even though she had never picked up a brush before.

  • If you like the Flashman books, you might give a whirl to "Pistols For Two, Breakfast For One," which has a similarly caddish upper-class fellow for a hero.

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Synonyms

to try out
vsto give a whirl
229 2.8

To test something to see how it works

is more casual and aimed at personal liking rather than systematic testing
to experiment
vsto give a whirl
170 3.5

To try something new to see what effect it has

is more informal and less systematic, aimed at quick personal evaluation
to give it a try
vsto give a whirl
102 1.7

Try something for the first time to see if you like it

is more informal and playful, focused on personal first-time liking
to have a go
vsto give a whirl
  • UK
33 4.3

Try doing something, often for the first time

is similar but leans more toward light, first-time experimentation
to take a crack at
vsto give a whirl
  • Informal
16 4.9

To try to do something, often for the first time

is more playful, focusing on first-time curiosity rather than boldness
to have a go at
vsto give a whirl
  • UK
11 3.4

To try doing something you have not done before

is more idiomatic and often more casual in use
to give it a whirl
vsto give a whirl
  • Informal
8 5.8

To try something for the first time to see if it works

is more about personal enjoyment than technical functioning
to give a go
vsto give a whirl
  • UK
1 4.1

To try something, especially something new

is slightly more informal and playful in tone
to give a try
vsto give a whirl
1 1.6

To do something new to see if you can do it

is more informal and suggests a lighter, exploratory action

Antonyms

to avoid
∞ 1.0

To stay away from something or not do it to stop something bad from happening

How Committed

to strive
156 3.7
attempt
∞ 1.0
to give a whirl
  • Informal
4.9
to have a go
  • UK
33 4.3

Surface Forms

give a whirl infinitive
gave a whirl past
given a whirl past participle
giving a whirl present participle
gives a whirl third person singular

Morphology

give + a + whirl

The phrase assembles 'give' (to offer/perform) with 'a whirl' where 'whirl' primarily denotes a spin or brief activity; the idiomatic sense 'try something' is a metaphorical extension (i.e., give it a spin). A B1 learner who only knows the basic literal senses may be able to infer the meaning by analogy to 'give it a spin', but the metaphorical shift is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

The phrase give a whirl may come from the picture of turning something quickly: you give it a whirl, a short spin, to see what it does. That's why today it means 'to try something'.