a shape or design, consisting of a continuous curved line that winds around a central point, with each curve further away from the centre 螺旋形；螺旋式 The birds circled in a slow spiral above the house. 鸟儿在房子上空缓缓盘旋。 A spiral of smoke rose from the chimney. 一股螺旋烟从烟囱升起。
a continuous harmful increase or decrease in something, that gradually gets faster and faster 逐渐加速上升（或下降） How can we halt the destructive spiral of violence in the inner cities? 我们怎样才能遏止内城区日益严重的破坏性暴力行为？ measures to control the inflationary spiral 控制日益恶化的通货膨胀的措施 the upward/downward spiral of sales 日渐上升／下降的销售额 the vicious spiral of rising wages and prices 工资和物价上涨的恶性循环
Extra ExamplesTopics Change, cause and effectc1The economy continued its downward spiral. 经济继续其螺旋式下降的走势。 There is a risk that the policy may trigger an inflationary spiral. 这一政策有可能引发通货膨胀螺旋式上升的风险。 to halt the vicious downward spiral of drug abuse 制止药物滥用的恶性发展趋势 The book gives a harrowing account of a downward spiral of drink, drugs and despair. 这本书对从酗酒、吸毒再到绝望的沉沦之路作了令人心痛的描述。 The country is caught in a vicious spiral of rising wages and prices. 该国陷入了工资和物价持续上涨的恶性循环之中。
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’.