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, kike, and wheel (see there for more).
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
VVages have been tvvice raiſed in my time, and they bear a full proportion, or even a greater than formerly, to the medium of proviſion during the laſt bad cycle of tvventy years.1795 November (date written), Edmund Burke, Thoughts and Details on Scarcity, […], London: […] [T. Gillet] for F[rancis] and C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J[ohn] Hatchard, […], published 1800, →OCLC, page 6:
2
A complete rotation of anything.
3
A process that returns to its beginning and then repeats itself in the same sequence.
electoral cycle menstrual cycle news cycle
No sooner has a [synthetic] drug been blacklisted than chemists adjust their recipe and start churning out a subtly different one. These “legal highs” are sold for the few months it takes the authorities to identify and ban them, and then the cycle begins again.2013 August 10, “Legal highs: A new prescription”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
1 more example
Ice is one of a slate of young, idealistic candidates for Move Forward who have joined mainstream politics in the hope that this election allows Thailand to break the cycle of military coups […]2023 May 8, Jonathan Head, “Thailand election: The young radicals shaking up politics”, in BBC News (World):
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The members of the sequence formed by such a process.
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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.
6
A programme on a washing machine, dishwasher, or other such device.
Put the washing in on a warm cycle.
the spin cycle
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Ball games, Baseball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports 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.
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Graph theory, Mathematics, Sciences A closed walk or path, with or without repeated vertices allowed.
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Algebraic topology, Mathematics, Sciences, Topology A chain whose boundary is zero.
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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 orb1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
There appears to be no absolute cycle in the universe; all is change and progression. No planet ever revolves twice precisely in the same orbit.1858, [anonymous], “Appendix”, in Edmund Burke, The Inherent Evils of All State Governments Demonstrated; Being a Reprint of Edmund Burke’s Celebrated Essay, Entitled “A Vindication of Natural Society:” […], London: Holyoake and Company, […], →OCLC, page 54:
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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.1835, Alfred Tennyson, “Locksley Hall”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 110:
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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: […]1664, J[ohn] E[velyn], “Kalendarium Hortense: Or, The Gard’ners Almanac; […] [Introduction to the Kalendar.]”, in Sylva, or A Discourse of Forest-trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesties Dominions. […], London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, page 56:
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Biology, Botany, Natural sciences One entire round in a circle or a spire.
a cycle or set of leaves1857, Asa Gray, First Lessons in Botany and Vegetable Physiology:
Officers have made the mistake of applying many Taser cycles, expecting the suspect to relent.2014, R.T. Wyant, Thomas Burns, Risk Management of Less Lethal Options, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 211:
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Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences One take-off and landing of an aircraft, referring to a pressurisation cycle which places stresses on the fuselage.
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Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports 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.
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Usually A hertz; cycle per second.
[…] 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.1958 January 23, 'Borderer', “Ten Years of British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 15:
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, kike, and wheel (see there for more).
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.2026 January 16, Danny Heitman, “An empty nester’s ode to the cycles of laundry – and life”, in The Christian Science Monitor:
Hobbies, Ice hockey, Lifestyle, Skating, Sports 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
Etymology 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).
1
A pedal-powered vehicle, such as a unicycle, bicycle, or tricycle, or a motorized vehicle that has either two or three wheels.
Etymology 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).
1
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.1957 July 23, M. D. Greville, “A Diamond Jubilee of Railway Memories”, in Railway Magazine, pages 458-459:
I cycled the three miles each morning between hedges draped with spangled cobwebs and berried bryony.1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 216:
1 more example
Well, during our short staycation at Humberston Fitties, just south of Cleethorpes, we cycled through the very unspoilt Lincolnshire Wolds, which are by no means flat and boring as conventional wisdom about the county suggests.2021 July 28, Christian Wolmar, “Forgotten by the railways, but ripe for the exploring”, in RAIL, number 936, page 35: