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prettygoodwordbirl - v., (N.A.) to cause a floating log to spin by walking on it; to spin, cause to rotate; (Brit.) to spend money freely, gamble.
The sense that's primarily survived among loggers in North America dates to around 1720, and seems to be a portmanteau combination of birr (move with a whirring sound) and whirl (spin around) -- which gives you the pronunciation. The British slang terms may be transference from birle, a Scots survival from Middle English, meaning to carouse.
---L.
The sense that's primarily survived among loggers in North America dates to around 1720, and seems to be a portmanteau combination of birr (move with a whirring sound) and whirl (spin around) -- which gives you the pronunciation. The British slang terms may be transference from birle, a Scots survival from Middle English, meaning to carouse.
---L.
