Spiraea prunifolia
Spiraea prunifolia

spiral


Definition: Meaning of, spiral in English to English dictionary.

Pronunciation: / ˈspʌɪr(ə)l /

  • noun
  • synonym
  • antonym
Word Forms:
Singular Plural
spiral spirals
[countable]
  1. a line in the form of a curve that winds around a central point, moving further away from the centre all the time
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  2. a process, usually a harmful one, in which something gradually but continuously gets worse or better
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  3. inflationary spiral a situation in which wages and prices rise continuously because the level of INFLATION is high
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synonym
antonym
  • verb
  • synonym
  • antonym
Word Forms:
Prsesent Past Past Participle
spiral spiralled, spiraled spiralled, spiraled
Present Participle Third Person Singular
spiralling, spiraling spirals
[British English] [American English] [intransitive]
  1. [always + adverb/preposition] to move in a continuous curve that gets nearer to or further from its central point as it goes round
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  2. if a situation spirals, it gets worse, more violent etc in a way that cannot be controlled
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  3. if debt or the cost of something spirals, it increases quickly in a way that cannot be controlled
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synonym
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spiral used in phrases

  • deflationary spiral (noun)
    1. an episode of deflation in which prices and wages decrease at an increasing rate and currency gains in value
  • inflationary spiral (noun)
    1. an episode of inflation in which prices and wages increase at an increasing rate and currency rapidly loses value
  • spiral bandage (noun)
    1. an oblique bandage in which successive turns overlap preceding turns
  • spiral galaxy (noun)
    1. a galaxy having a spiral structure; arms containing younger stars spiral out from old stars at the centre
  • spiral nebula (noun)
    1. a galaxy having a spiral structure; arms containing younger stars spiral out from old stars at the centre
  • spiral notebook (noun)
    1. a book in which you write notes, made of pieces of paper that are attached to a wire spiral
  • spiral ratchet screwdriver (noun)
    1. so the blade rotates so the blade turns in only one direction a screwdriver with a ratchet and a spiral in the handle with downward pressure on the handle
  • spiral spring (noun)
    1. a spring that is wound like a spiral
  • spiral staircase (noun)
    1. a set of stairs arranged in a circular pattern so that they go around a central point as they get higher
  • spiral-bound (adjective)
    1. a spiral-bound book or NOTEBOOK has pages that are attached together by a long wire that is twisted around and put through small holes in the sides of the pages
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most searched words

word of the day

Patent and Trademark Office, The
Pronunciation:
Parts of Speech:
the US government department that decides which new inventions can be given a PATENT (= the right to make and sell a new invention) . There is a similar department in the UK called the PATENT Office.
spiral bandage