twirler
(ˈtwɜːlə(r))
[f. twirl v.1 + -er1.]
a. One who or that which twirls. spec. (N. Amer.), one who leads a marching band; a drum-major or drum-majorette. Cf. twirling vbl. n.
In quot. 1827, a decoy for larks, consisting of a curved piece of wood set with small mirrors, mounted on a spindle and turned by a string.
| 1808 Sporting Mag. XXXII. 134 The twirler is usually some gay youth..he whirls his cane in the air by means of a ribbon. 1827 J. H. H. in Hone's Every-day Bk. II. 93/1 The fascination of the twirler is so strong..After being fired at several times they [larks] return to the twirler. 1828 Miss Mitford Village Ser. iii. 214 An household..that should shame all the twirlers of mops and brandishers of brooms in the county. a 1891 Tribune Bk. of Sports 81 (Cent.) Critics [in base-ball] are still looking for the pitcher par excellence... Their ideal twirler of the diminutive globe has not yet made his appearance. 1949 R. L. Lee Baton 2 A twirler must ‘sell’ himself to the audience..having..a big natural smile. 1965 Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 21 May 9/2 Twirlers from Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, [etc.] will compete in the individual events [in a baton-twirling competition]. 1980 Times 7 Aug. 12/7 British twirlers tend to call themselves Majorettes. |
b. Criminals' slang. = twirl n. c.
| 1921 J. C. Goodwin in Chambers's Jrnl. 24 Sept. 680/1 Skeleton-keys, or ‘twirlers’, as the thieving fraternity call them. 1935 R. T. Hopkins Life & Death at Old Bailey ii. 64 In a burglar's kit of tools will be found a jemmy, a bunch of skeleton keys, known as ‘twirlers’,..wedges, glass-workers' diamond, and a ‘treacle plaster’. 1974 ‘J. Ashford’ Colour of Violence iv. 34 Weir, who was an expert with the twirlers, forced the lock in six seconds. |