Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense spirals, present participle spiralling, past tense, past participle spiralledregional note: in AM, use spiraling, spiraled
1. countable noun
A spiral is a shape which winds round and round, with each curve above or outside the previous one.
Spiral is also an adjective.
...a spiral staircase.
2. verb
If something spirals or is spiralled somewhere, it grows or moves in a spiral curve.
Vines spiraled upward toward the roof. [VERB adverb/preposition]
...a bullet spiralling out of a gun barrel. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Did you notice whether the roots were spiralled round the pot? [beV -ed]
[Also VERB]
Spiral is also a noun.
Larks were rising in spirals from the ridge.
3. verb
If an amount or level spirals, it rises quickly and at an increasing rate.
Production costs began to spiral. [VERB]
...a spiralling trend of violence. [VERB-ing]
The unemployment rate is spiralling upwards. [VERB adverb/preposition]
Synonyms: soar, rise, escalate, climb More Synonyms of spiral
Spiral is also a noun.
...an inflationary spiral.
...a spiral of debt.
4. verb
If an amount or level spirals downwards, it falls quickly and at an increasing rate.
House prices will continue to spiral downwards. [VERB adverb/preposition]
More Synonyms of spiral
spiral in British English
(ˈspaɪərəl)
noun
1. geometry
one of several plane curves formed by a point winding about a fixed point at an ever-increasing distance from it. Polar equation of Archimedes spiral: r = aθ; of logarithmic spiral: log r = aθ; of hyperbolic spiral:rθ = a, (where a is a constant)
2. another name for helix (sense 1)
3.
something that pursues a winding, usually upward, course or that displays a twisting form or shape
4.
a flight manoeuvre in which an aircraft descends describing a helix of comparatively large radius with the angle of attack within the normal flight range
Compare spin (sense 16)
5. economics
a continuous upward or downward movement in economic activity or prices, caused by interaction between prices, wages, demand, and production
adjective
6.
having the shape of a spiral
verbWord forms: -rals, -ralling, -ralledWord forms: US-rals, -raling or -raled
7.
to assume or cause to assume a spiral course or shape
8. (intransitive)
to increase or decrease with steady acceleration
wages and prices continue to spiral
Derived forms
spirally (ˈspirally)
adverb
Word origin
C16: via French from Medieval Latin spīrālis, from Latin spīra a coil; see spire2
spiral in American English
(ˈspaɪrəl)
adjective
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 cylindrical, three-dimensional curve
noun
3.
a spiral curve occurring in a single plane
4.
a spiral curve occurring in a series of planes; helix
5.
something having a spiral form, as a wire for holding sheets in some notebooks
6.
a spiral path or flight
the descending spiral of a falling leaf
7.
a section or segment of a spiral
8.
a continuous, widening decrease or increase
an inflationary spiral ending in financial collapse
9. US, American Football
a kick or pass in which the ball rotates on its longer axis as it moves through the air
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈspiraled or ˈspiralled, ˈspiraling or ˈspiralling
10.
to move in or form a spiral
verb transitive
11.
to cause to move in or form a spiral
Derived forms
spirally (ˈspirally)
adverb
Word origin
ML spiralis < L spira, a coil < Gr speira: see spire1
COBUILD Collocations
spiral
upward spiral
Examples of 'spiral' in a sentence
spiral
Via an alliance against a single media baron that spiralled out of control.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They will both lose their spiral shapes and end up as one featureless galaxy.
The Sun (2012)
Thus they look to be in something of a spiral.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The spiralling civilian death toll has spurred international calls for the fighting to end.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The club has been on a spiral downwards because of a losing mentality.
The Sun (2015)
Things can quickly spiral out of control for victims.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The purpose was to discuss the energy crisis caused by the spiralling cost of oil.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Now you may descend the spiral staircase to find a golf simulator instead.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Demand has spiralled and thousands are now saving money by using the site.
The Sun (2016)
Costs will inevitably continue to spiral in the next four years.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The whole thing is a downward spiral.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Wrap a spiral rabbit guard round the tree or use a layer of wire mesh.
The Sun (2009)
Your confidence will rise and you will have begun that upward spiral to success.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)
No wonder her life spiralled out of control.
The Sun (2008)
All the evidence is that policymakers will do virtually anything rather than see a deflationary spiral take hold.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Perhaps one day the little building blocks of life hidden in this ghostly spiral will form part of a new world.
The Sun (2010)
Thus begins a downward economic spiral.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It's a spiralling problem and one we have to discuss.
The Sun (2007)
He appears in a plume of smoke, a spiral twirl delivering him on stage.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A steel and glass spiral staircase leads from the main reception room to the master suite.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Today's central bankers are aware of the danger that the economy will be locked into a deflationary spiral.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
A low round table and a wood chest, both carved in a pattern of spirals, stood against the other wall.
Kerr, Katharine A Time of War (1993)
In other languages
spiral
British English: spiral NOUN
A spiral is a shape which winds round and round, with each curve above or outside the previous one.
The maze is actually two interlocking spirals.
American English: spiral
Brazilian Portuguese: espiral
Chinese: 螺旋形
European Spanish: espiral
French: spirale
German: Spirale
Italian: spirale
Japanese: らせん
Korean: 나선
European Portuguese: espiral
Latin American Spanish: espiral
All related terms of 'spiral'
spiral arm
any of the elongated and curved spiral sections that are connected to the center of a spiral galaxy
barred spiral
a spiral galaxy in which the arms originate at the ends of a bar-shaped nucleus
death spiral
a period of continuous deterioration that leads ultimately to catastrophic failure or destruction
Ekman spiral
a complex interaction on the surface of the sea between wind, rotation of the earth, and friction forces, discovered by Vagn Walfrid Ekman
spiral galaxy
a galaxy consisting of an ellipsoidal nucleus of old stars from opposite sides of which arms , containing younger stars, spiral outwards around the nucleus. In a barred spiral , the arms originate at the ends of a bar-shaped nucleus
upward spiral
If an amount or level spirals , it rises quickly and at an increasing rate .
spiral binding
a method of securing the pages of a publication by passing a coil of wire through small holes punched at the back edge of the covers and individual pages
spiral notebook
a notebook held together by a coil of wire passed through small holes punched at the back edge of the covers and individual pages
Archimedes spiral
a spiral having the equation r = a θ, where a is a constant . It is the locus of a point moving to or from the origin at a constant speed along a line rotating around that origin at a constant speed
hyperbolic spiral
r θ = a, (where a is a constant )
logarithmic spiral
log r = a θ
spiral staircase
a staircase constructed around a central axis
inflationary spiral
the situation in which price and income increases may each induce further rises in the other
wage-price spiral
a situation in which wage and price increases drive each other upward and cause inflation
spiral of Archimedes
a spiral having the equation r = a θ, where a is a constant . It is the locus of a point moving to or from the origin at a constant speed along a line rotating around that origin at a constant speed
winding staircase
a staircase constructed around a central axis
Chinese translation of 'spiral'
spiral
(ˈspaɪərl)
n(c)
螺旋 (luóxuán)
vi
to spiral (upwards)[smoke]盘(盤)旋(上升) (pánxuán (shàngshēng))