Cycle

//ˈsaɪ.kəl// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An interval of space or time in which one set of events or phenomena is completed.

    "the cycle of the seasons, or of the year"

  2. 2
    A pedal-powered vehicle, such as a unicycle, bicycle, or tricycle, or a motorized vehicle that has either two or three wheels.
  3. 3
    a wheeled vehicle that has two wheels and is moved by foot pedals wordnet
  4. 4
    A complete rotation of anything.
  5. 5
    A pedal-powered vehicle, such as a unicycle, bicycle, or tricycle, or a motorized vehicle that has either two or three wheels.; A bicycle. specifically, usually
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  1. 6
    a single complete execution of a periodically repeated phenomenon wordnet
  2. 7
    A process that returns to its beginning and then repeats itself in the same sequence.

    "electoral cycle    menstrual cycle    news cycle"

  3. 8
    a periodically repeated sequence of events wordnet
  4. 9
    The members of the sequence formed by such a process.
  5. 10
    a series of poems or songs on the same theme wordnet
  6. 11
    A series of poems, songs or other works of art, typically longer than a trilogy.

    "The Ring of the Nibelung is a cycle of four operas by Richard Wagner."

  7. 12
    the unit of frequency; one hertz has a periodic interval of one second (named for Heinrich Rudolph Hertz) wordnet
  8. 13
    A programme on a washing machine, dishwasher, or other such device.

    "Put the washing in on a warm cycle."

  9. 14
    an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs wordnet
  10. 15
    A single, a double, a triple, and a home run hit by the same player in the same game.

    "Jones hit for the cycle in the game."

  11. 16
    A closed walk or path, with or without repeated vertices allowed.
  12. 17
    A chain whose boundary is zero.
  13. 18
    An imaginary circle or orbit in the heavens; one of the celestial spheres.

    "With centric and eccentric scribbled o'er, Cycle and epicycle, orb in orb"

  14. 19
    An age; a long period of time.

    "Thro' the shadow of the world we sweep into the younger day: / Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay."

  15. 20
    An orderly list for a given time; a calendar.

    "[H]ere we endeavour to preſent our Gard'ners with a compleat Cycle of what is requiſite to be done throughout every Moneth of the Year: […]"

  16. 21
    One entire round in a circle or a spire.

    "a cycle or set of leaves"

  17. 22
    A discharge of a taser.

    "Officers have made the mistake of applying many Taser cycles, expecting the suspect to relent."

  18. 23
    One take-off and landing of an aircraft, referring to a pressurisation cycle which places stresses on the fuselage.
  19. 24
    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.

    "The deterioration of his physique may be a result of his being off cycle."

  20. 25
    A hertz; cycle per second. plural, usually

    "[…] the Plan incorporates in proper combination every available modern technique, including extensive electrification on the new standard high-voltage a.c. system at a frequency of 50 cycles; main-line diesel traction as a half-way house to electrification; lightweight diesel trains for secondary and branch services; and a smaller wagon fleet doing more work by the use of continuous brakes in conjunction with modernised terminals and marshalling yards."

Verb
  1. 1
    To go through a cycle or to put through a cycle.

    "When my wife and I heard a plaintive whinny from our laundry room the other day, we knew that our old dryer had cycled its last load."

  2. 2
    To ride a bicycle or other cycle.

    "Sometimes I would cycle over to Beckenham to watch the boat trains and Kent Coast expresses of the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, which seemed very superior to its future partner."

  3. 3
    recur in repeating sequences wordnet
  4. 4
    To turn power off and back on

    "Avoid cycling the device unnecessarily."

  5. 5
    ride a bicycle wordnet
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  1. 6
    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

    "They have their cycling game going tonight."

  2. 7
    ride a motorcycle wordnet
  3. 8
    pass through a cycle wordnet
  4. 9
    cause to go through a recurring sequence wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

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, kike, and wheel (see there for more).

Etymology 2

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, kike, and wheel (see there for more).

Etymology 3

From -cycle (in bicycle, monocycle, and tricycle), perhaps associated with etymology 1. Compare French cycle in the same sense. The verb is either from the noun or a clipping of bicycle (verb).

Etymology 4

From -cycle (in bicycle, monocycle, and tricycle), perhaps associated with etymology 1. Compare French cycle in the same sense. The verb is either from the noun or a clipping of bicycle (verb).

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