rotate、revolve、roll、spin、turn、whirl与circle这些动词均有“转动、旋转”之意。
rotate : 侧重指物体围绕自己的轴或中心旋转，即自转。
- Stay well away from the helicopter when its blades start to rotate.
直升机的螺旋桨开始转动时，尽量离远点儿。
revolve : 强调指物体围绕本身以外的中心旋转，即公转。
- The night wind revolves in the sky and sings.
夜风在空中回旋歌唱。
——《今夜我能写出最哀伤的诗句》
roll : 指某物在平面上滚动或翻滚。
- Mr. Weasley was leaning back in his chair, looking replete and relaxed, Tonks was yawning widely, her nose now back to normal, and Ginny, who had lured Crookshanks out from under the dresser, was sitting cross-legged on the floor, rolling butterbeer corks for him to chase.
韦斯莱先生靠在椅子背上，一副吃饱喝足、身心放松的样子。唐克斯张着大嘴打哈欠，她的鼻子已经恢复了正常。金妮把克鲁克山从碗橱下面引了出来，这会儿正盘腿坐在地上，把一些黄油啤酒的软木塞滚来滚去，让克鲁克山追着玩儿。
——《哈利·波特与凤凰社》（Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix）
spin : 指沿内轴快速持续旋转，或沿外部一个点作快速圆周运转。
- The plane was spinning out of control.
飞机失去控制，不停地旋转。
（拓展学习：熟词僻义 | spin 是一种怎样的欺骗？）
turn : 普通用词，中性，含义不确切，可指作一个圆周运动或连续地作圆周运动，也可指仅是沿圆的弧形转动。
- The wheels of the car began to turn.
汽车的轮子开始转动起来。
whirl : 指旋转或作圆周运动，侧重急速或力量。
- Leaves whirled in the wind.
落叶在风中旋转。 - She whirled around to face him.
她猛地转过身子面对着他。
circle : 指作圆周运动。
- Seagulls circled around above his head.
海鸥在他的头顶上盘旋。 - Emily kept circling around her mother.
埃米莉围着她妈妈转个不停。
