Definition of CYCLE

cycle

Plural: cycles

Noun

  • an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs
    • "the never-ending cycle of the seasons"
  • a series of poems or songs on the same theme
    • "Schubert's song cycles"
  • a periodically repeated sequence of events
    • "a cycle of reprisal and retaliation"
  • the unit of frequency; one hertz has a periodic interval of one second
  • a single complete execution of a periodically repeated phenomenon
    • "a year constitutes a cycle of the seasons"
  • a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals
  • An interval of space or time in which one set of events or phenomena is completed.
  • A complete rotation of anything.
  • A process that returns to its beginning and then repeats itself in the same sequence.
  • The members of the sequence formed by such a process.
  • A series of poems, songs or other works of art, typically longer than a trilogy.
  • A programme on a washing machine, dishwasher, or other such device.
  • A pedal-powered vehicle, such as a unicycle, bicycle, or tricycle, or a motorized vehicle that has either two or three wheels.
  • A single, a double, a triple, and a home run hit by the same player in the same game.
  • A closed walk or path, with or without repeated vertices allowed.
  • A chain whose boundary is zero.
  • An imaginary circle or orbit in the heavens; one of the celestial spheres.
  • An age; a long period of time.
  • An orderly list for a given time; a calendar.
  • One entire round in a circle or a spire.
  • A discharge of a taser.
  • One take-off and landing of an aircraft, referring to a pressurisation cycle which places stresses on the fuselage.
  • A scheduled period of time of weeks or months wherein a performance-enhancing substance or, by extension, supplement is applied, to be followed by another one where it is not or the dosage is lower.

Verb

Verb Forms: cycled, cycling, cycles

  • To ride a bicycle; to pass through a recurring sequence.
  • cause to go through a recurring sequence
    • "cycle the laundry in this washing program"
  • pass through a cycle
    • "This machine automatically cycles"
  • ride a motorcycle
  • ride a bicycle
  • recur in repeating sequences
  • To ride a bicycle or other cycle.
  • To go through a cycle or to put through a cycle.
  • To turn power off and back on
  • To maintain a team's possession of the puck in the offensive zone by handling and passing the puck in a loop from the boards near the goal up the side boards and passing to back to the boards near the goal

Examples

  • Avoid cycling the device unnecessarily.
  • electoral cycle    menstrual cycle    news cycle
  • He decided to ’CYCLE’ through his mental lexicon, searching for the perfect word.
  • Jones hit for the cycle in the game.
  • Put the washing in on a warm cycle.
  • The "Ring of the Nibelung" is a cycle of four operas by Richard Wagner.
  • the cycle of the seasons, or of the year
  • The deterioration of his physique may be a result of his being off cycle.
  • the spin cycle
  • They have their cycling game going tonight.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English cicle (“fixed length period of years”), from Late Latin cyclus, from Ancient Greek κύκλος (kúklos, “circle”), from Proto-Hellenic *kúklos, *kʷókʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷékʷlos (“circle, wheel”).
Doublet of chakra, chakram, charkha, chukker, cyclus, and wheel (see there for more).

Synonyms

bicycle, bike, cps, cycle per second, cycles/second, hertz, Hz, motorbike, motorcycle, oscillation, pedal, rhythm, round, wheel

Scrabble Score: 12

cycle: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
cycle: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
cycle: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 14

cycle: valid Words With Friends Word