spiral
noun /ˈspaɪrəl/
/ˈspaɪrəl/
- a shape or design, consisting of a continuous curved line that winds around a central point, with each curve further away from the centre
enlarge image- The birds circled in a slow spiral above the house.
- A spiral of smoke rose from the chimney.
- a continuous harmful increase or decrease in something, that gradually gets faster and faster
- How can we halt the destructive spiral of violence in the inner cities?
- measures to control the inflationary spiral
- the upward/downward spiral of sales
- the vicious spiral of rising wages and prices
Extra ExamplesTopics Change, cause and effectc1- The economy continued its downward spiral.
- There is a risk that the policy may trigger an inflationary spiral.
- to halt the vicious downward spiral of drug abuse
- The book gives a harrowing account of a downward spiral of drink, drugs and despair.
- The country is caught in a vicious spiral of rising wages and prices.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- vicious
- downward
- upward
- …
- create
- trigger
- continue
- …
- spiral of
Word Originmid 16th cent. (as an adjective): from medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira ‘coil’, from Greek speira ‘a coil’.