| 释义 |
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.
1808Sporting Mag. XXXII. 134 The twirler is usually some gay youth..he whirls his cane in the air by means of a ribbon. 1827J. 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. 1828Miss Mitford Village Ser. iii. 214 An household..that should shame all the twirlers of mops and brandishers of brooms in the county. a1891Tribune 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. 1949R. L. Lee Baton 2 A twirler must ‘sell’ himself to the audience..having..a big natural smile. 1965Daily Progress (Charlottesville, Va.) 21 May 9/2 Twirlers from Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, [etc.] will compete in the individual events [in a baton-twirling competition]. 1980Times 7 Aug. 12/7 British twirlers tend to call themselves Majorettes.
b. Criminals' slang. = twirl n. c.
1921J. C. Goodwin in Chambers's Jrnl. 24 Sept. 680/1 Skeleton-keys, or ‘twirlers’, as the thieving fraternity call them. 1935R. 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. |