What does "birr" mean?
Strength, vigor, energy.
Birr
/bɜː/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Strength, vigor, energy.
- Grammar: birr is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: boom, bum, buzz, drone.
- Usage evidence: Ye'll be sae kind as let me see How this same bird o' yours can flee. T'oblige ye, friend, I winna stand — Syne loos'd the falcon frae his hand. Unhooded, up she sprang wi' birr, While baith stood staring after her.
How to use "birr"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "birr" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "birr" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "birr" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "birr" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "birr" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "boom" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "birr", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Strength, vigor, energy. Scotland
"Ye'll be sae kind as let me see How this same bird o' yours can flee. T'oblige ye, friend, I winna stand — Syne loos'd the falcon frae his hand. Unhooded, up she sprang wi' birr, While baith stood staring after her."
- 2 The currency of Ethiopia, divided into 100 santims.
- 3 sound of something in rapid motion wordnet
- 4 The force of movement; rush, impetus, momentum, driving force. Scotland
"A chaise in full birr came upon her and knocked her down."
- 5 the basic unit of money in Ethiopia; equal to 100 cents wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A whirring noise. Scotland
"O' the sounds o' love and joy, There's nane sae pleasant as the birr o' Scotland's spinnin' wheel."
- 7 A strong trilling. Scotland
"Nae mair he will wi' rattlin' birr, Sing to his soul-inspirin' girr, The dormant Gothamites to stir, His powers to heed;"
Verb
- 1 To make a whirring noise; make a noise like that of revolving wheels, or of millstones at work. Scotland
"if it is ordained that ye must forget him, ye will banish him from your mind the mair easily that ye ken nae mair o' him than ye do o' the bird that birrs past ye in the wood—that it has a bonny feather in its tail.""
- 2 make a soft swishing sound wordnet
- 3 To lurch or set to spinning. Scotland
"His cowt grew reezy, its lang tail 'Twad swash, and lugs wad birr up, At length it cuist him, and did trail Him hame, by fit i'e stirrup,"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname. uncountable, usually
- 2 A community in Middlesex Centre municipality, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. uncountable, usually
- 3 A town in County Offaly, Ireland, originally named Parsonstown (Irish grid ref N 0605). uncountable, usually
- 4 A municipality in Aargau canton, Switzerland. uncountable, usually
Example
"Ye'll be sae kind as let me see How this same bird o' yours can flee. T'oblige ye, friend, I winna stand — Syne loos'd the falcon frae his hand. Unhooded, up she sprang wi' birr, While baith stood staring after her."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "birr"?
Common synonyms include: boom, bum, buzz, drone, energy, go.
How do you use "birr" in a sentence?
Ye'll be sae kind as let me see How this same bird o' yours can flee. T'oblige ye, friend, I winna stand — Syne loos'd the falcon frae his hand. Unhooded, up she sprang wi' birr, While baith stood staring after her.
How do you pronounce "birr"?
Pronounced /bɜː/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English bir (“favorable or strong wind”), from Old English byre (“strong wind, storm”); cognate with Norwegian bør, Icelandic byrr (“sailing winds”), Albanian borë (“snow”), and Polish burza (“storm, thunderstorm”).
Etymology 2
From Amharic ብር (bər, “silver”).