Note: The translation for this entry is currently under quality review. Some content is temporarily displayed in English only.
cycle
/ˈsaɪkəl/
The primary image is a circle—a movement that returns to its starting point to begin again. It suggests predictability, rhythm, and inevitability. When describing events (like the water cycle or economic cycles), it carries a neutral or scientific tone, implying a natural law or a systemic pattern rather than a random occurrence. In technical contexts, such as software or electronics, "cycling through" implies an automated, sequential process. It differs from "rotating" in that it emphasizes the repetition of the entire sequence once completed. As a term for transportation, it is more common in British English than American English, where "bike" is the dominant casual term.
💬Casual Conversation
The dev team is just cycling through the same bugs. We're totally spinning our wheels.
Let's pivot and lean into that cycle for a bit.
Meanings
A series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.
"The water cycle describes how water evaporates from the surface of the earth and falls back as rain."
A bicycle or motorcycle.
"He decided to commute to work by cycle to avoid traffic."
To ride a bicycle.
"She cycles to the library every Tuesday."