chiefly Scottish
as in to drink
to take part in drunken revelry spent a good part of his time in Edinburgh birling into the wee small hours of the night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of birl There was sea salt in the air, and sleepless seagulls were birling in the darkness overhead. Douglas Stuart, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2020 Another, unable to reach dry land, dug his spiked boots into a slippery timber and birled downriver. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2019 In some parts of the United States, birling contests are annual events. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for birl
Verb
  • Crumble Smith recommends using half your body weight as a starting point to figure out how many ounces per day to drink.
    Alyssa Hui-Anderson, Verywell Health, 16 May 2025
  • The 2018 vintage is exceptional and is drinking perfectly right now.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • After all that carousing, Chalamet, 29, managed to show up all smiles on race day on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium in MiamI Gardens.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 5 May 2025
  • Some allegedly caroused until dawn.
    Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • First up, while people are revelling following the verdict, the emotional intensity of reaction can be traced to a sense of loss.
    Callum Booth, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
  • Key speeches are faithfully delivered to an audience of two, not thousands; a scene of soldiers destructively revelling on a bridge is given a different spirit by ironic, out-of-time horseplay.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Most everything else can be consumed or binged at a viewer’s leisure.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 May 2025
  • Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who. geology natural disasters earth science 1 free article left Want More?
    Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Image Image In the village of Midsomer Norton, about 50 miles away, 100 people or so turned out for a community event to wassail three small apple trees in the local park.
    Stephen Castle, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
  • This drink was often used as part of wassailing in England.
    BHG Test Kitchen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Birl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/birl. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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