spiral

spirale

Ligne courbe qui s’enroule autour d’un point central en s’en rapprochant ou en s’en éloignant.

En anglais simple : A curved line that winds around a central point, getting farther from or closer to it.

• Draw a spiral on the paper.
• The shell has a beautiful spiral pattern.
• Smoke rose in slow spirals above the fire.

Synonymes : coil

Expressions courantes : draw a spiral, in a spiral, spiral shape

s'envoler, chuter

Continuer à augmenter ou à diminuer rapidement, souvent au point de devenir difficile à maîtriser.

En anglais simple : To keep increasing or decreasing quickly, often becoming difficult to control.

• Prices continue to spiral.
• Our debts spiralled out of control last year.
• The company's profits have spiralled downwards.

Comment l'utiliser : spiral out of control (Housing costs have spiralled out of control.)

Contraires : stabilize

Expressions courantes : spiral out of control, spiral upwards, spiral downwards

tourbillonner, décrire une spirale

Se déplacer en tournant autour d’un point ou d’une ligne.

En anglais simple : To move in a winding path around a point or line.

• Smoke spirals up from the chimney.
• The leaves spiralled slowly to the ground.
• We watched the plane spiral down through the clouds.

Comment l'utiliser : spiral down/up (The bird spiralled down towards the field.)

Synonymes : coil, circle

Expressions courantes : spiral down, spiral upwards, spiral through something

sombrer, aller de plus en plus mal

Aller de plus en plus mal émotionnellement ou mentalement, souvent avec le sentiment de ne pas pouvoir l’arrêter.

En anglais simple : To become increasingly upset or mentally unwell, often feeling unable to stop it.

• She felt herself starting to spiral.
• He spiralled into despair after the breakup.
• When anxiety makes me spiral, I call a friend.

Comment l'utiliser : spiral into something (After losing his job, he spiralled into depression.)

Synonymes : deteriorate

Contraires : recover

Expressions courantes : spiral into depression, spiral into despair, start to spiral

faire tourner en spirale

Faire avancer quelque chose en spirale ou le faire tourner pendant son déplacement.

En anglais simple : To make something move in a winding path or turn as it travels.

• Can you spiral the ball?
• The quarterback spiralled the football towards his teammate.
• She learned to spiral a pass accurately.

Synonymes : spin

Expressions courantes : spiral a ball, spiral the football