spiral
- spiral
spi|ral1 [ˈspaıərəl US ˈspaır-] n
[Date: 1500-1600; : Medieval Latin; Origin: spiralis (adjective), from Latin spira 'coil']
1.) a line in the form of a curve that winds around a central point, moving further away from the centre all the time
2.) a process, usually a harmful one, in which something gradually but continuously gets worse or better
in/into a spiral
▪ Unemployment rose and the city went into a spiral of decline.
downward/upward spiral
▪ The company is in a downward spiral.
3.) inflationary spiral
a situation in which wages and prices rise continuously because the level of ↑
inflation is high
>spiral adj
spiral 2
spiral2 past tense and past participle spiralled present participle spiralling BrE past tense and past participle spiraled present participle spiraling AmE
v
1.) [always + adverb/preposition]
to move in a continuous curve that gets nearer to or further from its central point as it goes round
spiral to/around etc
▪ The damaged plane spiralled to the ground.
2.) if a situation spirals, it gets worse, more violent etc in a way that cannot be controlled
▪ Crime has spiraled out of control .
3.) if debt or the cost of something spirals, it increases quickly in a way that cannot be controlled
>spiralling [i]BrE spiraling AmE adj
▪ the spiralling cost of legal services
Dictionary of contemporary English.
2013.
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Look at other dictionaries:
spiral — spiral, ale, aux [ spiral, o ] adj. • 1534; lat. scolast. spiralis, de spira → spire ♦ Rare (sauf avec quelques n.) Qui a la forme d une courbe tournant autour d un pôle dont elle s éloigne. Courbe, ligne spirale. Ressort spiral : ressort plat… … Encyclopédie Universelle
Spiral — Spi ral, a. [Cf. F. spiral. See {Spire} a winding line.] 1. Winding or circling round a center or pole and gradually receding from it; as, the spiral curve of a watch spring. [1913 Webster] 2. Winding round a cylinder or imaginary axis, and at… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
spiral — [spī′rəl] adj. [ML spiralis < L spira, a coil < Gr speira: see SPIRE1] 1. circling around a central point in a flat, two dimensional curve that constantly increases (or decreases) in size 2. circling around a central axis in a conical or… … English World dictionary
spiral — SPIRÁL, Ă, spirali, e, s.f., adj. 1. s.f. Curbă plană deschisă care se roteşte (sau se înfăşoară) în jurul unui punct fix; p. ext. obiect care are această formă. 2. adj. Care are formă de spirală (1); spiralat. – Din fr. spiral. Trimis de RACAI,… … Dicționar Român
Spiral — Spi ral, n. [Cf. F. spirale. See {Spiral}, a.] 1. (Geom.) A plane curve, not re[ e]ntrant, described by a point, called the generatrix, moving along a straight line according to a mathematical law, while the line is revolving about a fixed point… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Spiral — студийный альбом Уэхары Хироми Дата выпуска 16 Января 2006 Жанры Джаз, джаз фьюжн Длительность 73:09 Лейбл … Википедия
spiral — spiral, ale (spi ral, ra l ) adj. 1° Qui a la figure d une spire ou d une spirale. Ligne spirale. Ressorts spiraux. 2° S. m. Terme d horlogerie. Le spiral d une montre, le petit ressort sous l action duquel oscille le balancier qui règle l… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
spiral — SPIRAL, [spir]ale. adj. Terme de Geometrie, Qui se dit d une ligne qui va tousjours en tournant, & en s esloignant de son premier point. Ligne spirale. ressort spiral. monstre à ressort spiral … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
spiral — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ winding in a continuous curve around a central point or axis. ► NOUN 1) a spiral curve, shape, or pattern. 2) a progressive rise or fall of prices, wages, etc., each responding to an upward or downward stimulus provided by a… … English terms dictionary
Spiral — bezeichnet eine Spirale, eine Manga Serie und eine darauf basierende Anime Serie, siehe Spiral – Suiri no Kizuna, ein Projekt der Sowjetunion, 1965 bis 1976, zur Entwicklung eines wiederverwendbaren Raumfahrzeuges, siehe MiG 105 … Deutsch Wikipedia
spiral — [adj] curling, winding circling, circular, circumvoluted, cochlear, coiled, corkscrew, curled, helical, helicoid, radial, rolled, screwshaped, scrolled, tendrillar, tortile, voluted, whorled, wound; concept 486 Ant. straight, uncurling, unwinding … New thesaurus
