an atmospheric phenomena similar to a tornado, but smaller and less powerful
a particular kind of vortex spinning in a fluid
a pocket of air that goes around and around
a swirling of the air which, conversely, pulls things up
tube that spins in the air with sparks. This produces a tornado like effect.
General term for a small-scale, rotating column of air. More specific terms are dust whirl, dust devil, waterspout, and tornado.
A small-scale, rapidly rotating column of wind, formed thermally and most likely to develop on clear, dry, hot afternoons. Often called a dust devil when visible by the dust, dirt or debris it picks up. Also slang for a landspout or a tornado.
The Whirlwind computer was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is the first computer that operated in real time, used video displays for output, and the first that was not simply an electronic replacement of older mechanical systems. Its development led directly to the United States Air Force's Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, and indirectly to almost all business computers and minicomputers in the 1960s.