If you swirl something liquid or flowing, or if it swirls, it moves round and round quickly. She smiled, swirling the wine in her glass The black water swirled around his legs, reaching almost to his knees She swirled the ice-cold liquid around her mouth. Carmen with her swirling gypsy skirts. Swirl is also a noun. small swirls of chocolate cream He breathes out a swirl of cigarette smoke