Etymology

This is one of several closely related ideophonic verbs for which Scandinavian derivation is sometimes entertained, see also wharred (v.) and wyrles (v.). In this instance, the etymon is perhaps an ON *hvirfa with assimilation (thus Falk-Torp, OED), and in that case related to OIcel hverfa ‘to turn’ and hvirfla ‘to whirl’. OED also notes the N distribution of this v. and the related whirre (n.) as circumstantial evidence pointing towards Scandinavian origin.

PGmc Ancestor

Proposed ON Etymon (OIcel representative)

cp. hverfa ‘to turn’, hvirfla ‘to whirl’.
(ONP hverfa (1)(v.))

Other Scandinavian Reflexes

Dan hvirre, Sw dial hvirra

OE Cognate

Phonological and morphological markers

Summary category

BB1c

Attestation

Cited by MED and OED from only a handful of N and E texts in ME, beginning with WA. 

Occurrences in the Gersum Corpus

WA 1414, 1556, 2226

The A MS of WA reads <quethirs> at 1414, which TPD emends to *quirys following the D MS reading whirres.

Bibliography

MED whirren (v.) , OED whirr, whir (v., adv. and int.) , HTOED , HTOED , Dance wharred