Spiral | Mean of spiral in English Dictionary

/ˈspaɪrəl/

• Noun
• a circular curving line that goes around a central point while getting closer to or farther away from it
1. The glider flew in a wide spiral over the field.
• a situation in which something continuously increases, decreases, or gets worse
1. an inflationary spiral [=a continuous increase in prices]
2. a spiral of problems
3. Gas prices continued their dizzying upward spiral. [=gas prices got higher]
4. His drug use drove him into a downward spiral. [=his condition became worse and worse]
• a kick or throw in which the ball spins while moving through the air
1. The quarterback threw a tight spiral to the receiver.
• Verb

• to move in a circle around a central point while getting closer to or farther away from it
1. Smoke spiraled up from the chimney.
2. Vultures spiraled [=circled] overhead.
3. The airplane spiraled to the ground and crashed.
• to greatly increase, decrease, or get worse in a continuous and usually fast and uncontrolled way
1. The unemployment rate has been spiraling upward.
2. The stock market is spiraling downward.
3. spiraling [=rapidly increasing] costs
4. Let's deal with this crisis before it spirals out of control.
• winding or circling around a central point and usually getting closer to or farther away from it
1. a spiral seashell
2. a spiral driveway