spiral
- spiral
-
I. adjective
Etymology: Medieval Latin spiralis, from Latin spira coil — more at spire
Date: 1551
1.
a. winding around a center or pole and gradually receding from or approaching it <
the spiral curve of a watch spring
>
b. helical
c. spiral-bound <a spiral notebook
>
2. of or relating to the advancement to higher levels through a series of cyclical movements
• spirally adverb
II. noun
Date: 1656
1.
a. the path of a point in a plane moving around a central point while continuously receding from or approaching it
b. a three-dimensional curve (as a helix) with one or more turns about an axis
2. a single turn or coil in a spiral object
3. something having a spiral form as:
a. spiral galaxy
b.
(1) a spiral flight
(2) a kick or pass in which a football rotates on its long axis while moving through the air
4. a continuously spreading and accelerating increase or decrease <wage spirals
>
III. verb
(-raled or -ralled; -raling or -ralling)
Date: 1834
intransitive verb
to go and especially to rise or fall in a spiral course <costs spiraled upward
>
transitive verb
1. to form into a spiral
2. to cause to spiral
New Collegiate Dictionary.
2001.
:
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
