The meaning of Eddies

noun

A large undulating mass of something, typically cloud, smoke, or steam.

Usage examples:

Flying in across a track of pearl and gold laid by the setting sun across the atlantic, i watched t…

verb

(of fabric) fill with air and swell outwards.

Usage examples:

Her dress billowed out around her

verb

To spread over a large area, or (esp. of items made of cloth) to become filled with air and appear to be larger

Usage examples:

The building is draped in blue plastic sheeting that flaps and billows like a sail., billows of smoke

verb

(with reference to a liquid) reach or cause to reach the temperature at which it bubbles and turns to vapour.

Usage examples:

We asked people to boil their drinking water

noun

The temperature at which a liquid bubbles and turns to vapour.

Usage examples:

Bring the sauce to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes

noun

An inflamed pus-filled swelling on the skin, caused typically by the infection of a hair follicle.

Usage examples:

You can use them to treat sores, bruises, cuts, boils and inflammatory skin conditions.

proper noun

A dangerous whirlpool in a narrow channel of the sea, opposite the cave of the sea monster scylla.

noun

A machine for making butter by shaking milk or cream.

Usage examples:

Mothers made butter from milk, they mixed the milk in a butter churn.

verb

Short for churn rate.

verb

To move violently

Usage examples:

[ i ] the water was churning and the boat was rocking., [ m ] the fish churned up the water when we…

verb

Move continuously or freely through a closed system or area.

Usage examples:

Antibodies circulate in the bloodstream

noun

A current flowing in an opposite direction to another.

Usage examples:

The equatorial countercurrent

adverb

In or with opposite directions of flow.

Usage examples:

The leys pass countercurrent to the soap

noun

A flow moving in the opposite direction to another.

Usage examples:

A counterflow airstream that works to keep dust from entering the cooling system

verb

(of a substance) undergo fermentation.

Usage examples:

The drink had fermented, turning some of the juice into alcohol

noun

Agitation and excitement among a group of people, typically concerning major change and leading to trouble or violence.

Usage examples:

A period of political and religious ferment

verb

To change chemically through the action of living substances, such as yeast or bacteria, or to use a substance to produce a chemical change

Usage examples:

He was a central figure in the intellectual ferment of his time.

verb

(of a liquid, gas, or electricity) move steadily and continuously in a current or stream.

Usage examples:

From here the river flows north

noun

The action or fact of moving along in a steady, continuous stream.

Usage examples:

The flow of water into the pond

verb

(esp. of liquids, gases, or electricity) to move in one direction, esp. continuously and easily

Usage examples:

Air flows over an aircraft’s wing faster than it flows under it., lava from the volcano was flowing…

noun

A mass of small bubbles formed on or in liquid, typically by agitation or fermentation.

Usage examples:

A beer with a thick head of foam

verb

Form or produce a mass of small bubbles; froth.

Usage examples:

The sea foamed beneath them

noun

A mass of small, usually white, bubbles formed on the surface of a liquid

Usage examples:

The waves were high and capped with foam., the suds in the sink foamed up when she added hot water.

noun

A mass of small bubbles in liquid caused by agitation, fermentation, or salivating.

Usage examples:

Leave the yeast until there is a good head of froth

verb

Form or contain a rising or overflowing mass of small bubbles.

Usage examples:

The red blood frothed at his lips

noun

A mass of small bubbles, esp. on the surface of a liquid

noun

A powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river.

Usage examples:

Together they stood in the foretops and conned the ship in through the seething maelstrom of the eq…

noun

A situation in which there is great confusion, disagreement, or violence

Usage examples:

It was a country in turmoil, caught up in a maelstrom of change.

verb

Move in a circle on a central axis.

Usage examples:

Overhead, the fan revolved slowly

verb

To move in a circle or a curve around a central point, or to cause something to do this

Usage examples:

[ t ] the plane revolved 162 degrees onto its back., [ i ] the earth revolves around the sun, rough…

noun

A small wave or series of waves on the surface of water, especially as caused by a slight breeze or an object dropping into it.

Usage examples:

He dived into the pool leaving barely a ripple

verb

(of water) form or flow with a series of small waves on the surface.

Usage examples:

The mediterranean rippled and sparkled

noun

A small wave or a slight movement of a surface, esp. the surface of water

Usage examples:

The stone hit the water and caused a ring of ripples to spread out., a ripple of laughter ran throu…

verb

(of a liquid) boil or be turbulent as if boiling.

Usage examples:

The grey ocean seethed

verb

To feel very angry

Usage examples:

She was still seething, remembering how rudely she was treated.

verb

Turn or cause to turn or whirl round quickly.

Usage examples:

The girl spun round in alarm

noun

A rapid turning or whirling motion.

Usage examples:

He concluded the dance with a double spin

verb

Revolve quickly and repeatedly around one's own axis

adjective

Winding in a continuous and gradually widening (or tightening) curve, either round a central point on a flat plane or about an axis so as to form a cone.

Usage examples:

A spiral pattern

noun

A spiral curve, shape, pattern, or object.

Usage examples:

A spiral of smoke

verb

Move in a spiral course.

Usage examples:

A wisp of smoke spiralled up from the trees

noun

A small, narrow river.

Usage examples:

A perfect trout stream

verb

(of liquid, air, gas, etc.) run or flow in a continuous current in a specified direction.

Usage examples:

She sat with tears streaming down her face

noun

A small river that flows on or below the surface of the ground

Usage examples:

Rivers are wider, deeper, and longer than streams., the faucet leaked in a steady stream., an endle…

noun

A sudden powerful forward or upward movement, especially by a crowd or by a natural force such as the tide.

Usage examples:

Flooding caused by tidal surges

verb

(of a crowd or a natural force) move suddenly and powerfully forward or upward.

Usage examples:

The journalists surged forward

noun

A sudden and great increase

Usage examples:

A surge in sales, a surge in the stock market, the young american’s victory touched off a surge of …

verb

Move in a twisting or spiralling pattern.

Usage examples:

The smoke was swirling around him

noun

A quantity of something moving in a twisting or spiralling pattern.

Usage examples:

Swirls of dust swept across the floor

verb

To move quickly with a twisting circular movement, or to cause something to move this way

Usage examples:

[ i ] snowflakes swirled down from the sky., [ i ] fig. accusations continue to swirl around him., …

verb

Move with a hissing or rushing sound.

Usage examples:

A car swished by

noun

A hissing or rustling sound.

Usage examples:

He could hear the swish of a distant car

adjective

An effeminate gay man.

verb

Form into a bent, curling, or distorted shape.

Usage examples:

A strip of metal is twisted to form a hollow tube

noun

An act of twisting something around a stationary point.

Usage examples:

The taps needed a single twist to turn them on

verb

Cause an object to assume a curved or distorted shape

verb

Move or cause to move rapidly round and round.

Usage examples:

Leaves whirled in eddies of wind

noun

A rapid movement round and round.

Usage examples:

The tempestuous whirl of circum-antarctic waters is also responsible for their being among the most…

verb

The shape of something rotating rapidly

noun

A quickly rotating mass of water in a river or sea into which objects may be drawn, typically caused by the meeting of conflicting currents.

Usage examples:

She watched the currents rush into whirlpools and swirl and swirl until they bumped into the next w…

noun

Water that moves in a powerful, circular current, sucking into its center anything that floats near it

Usage examples:

Some health clubs have whirlpools and steam rooms.

noun

The perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a current of air blowing from a particular direction.

Usage examples:

The wind howled about the building

verb

Cause (someone) to have difficulty breathing because of exertion or a blow to the stomach.

Usage examples:

The fall nearly winded him

noun

A twist or turn in a course.

Usage examples:

After a few minutes of puzzled winds and twists and turns and curses muttered under my breath, i co…