Hypertext Webster Gateway: "spiral"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Spiral \Spi"ral\, n. [Cf. F. spirale. See {Spiral}, a.]
1. (Geom.) A plane curve, not re["e]ntrant, described by a
point, called the generatrix, moving along a straight line
according to a mathematical law, while the line is
revolving about a fixed point called the pole. Cf.
{Helix}.
2. Anything which has a spiral form, as a spiral shell.
{Equiangular spiral},a plane curve which cuts all its
generatrices at the same angle. Same as {Logarithmic
spiral}, under {Logarithmic}.
{Spiral of Archimedes}, a spiral the law of which is that the
generatrix moves uniformly along the revolving line, which
also moves uniformly.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Spiral \Spi"ral\, a. [Cf. F. spiral. See {Spire} a winding
line.]
1. Winding or circling round a center or pole and gradually
receding from it; as, the spiral curve of a watch spring.
2. Winding round a cylinder or imaginary axis, and at the
same time rising or advancing forward; winding like the
thread of a screw; helical.
3. (Geom.) Of or pertaining to a spiral; like a spiral.
{Spiral gear}, or {Spiral wheel} (Mach.), a gear resembling
in general a spur gear, but having its teeth cut at an
angle with its axis, or so that they form small portions
of screws or spirals.
{Spiral gearing}, a kind of gearing sometimes used in light
machinery, in which spiral gears, instead of bevel gears,
are used to transmit motion between shafts that are not
parallel.
{Spiral operculum}, an operculum whih has spiral lines of
growth.
{Spiral shell}, any shell in which the whorls form a spiral
or helix.
{Spiral spring}. See the Note under {Spring}, n., 4.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
spiral
adj : in the shape of a coil [syn: {coiling}, {helical}, {spiraling},
{volute}, {voluted}, {whorled}, {turbinate}]
n 1: a plane curve traced by a point circling about the center
but at ever-greater distances from it
2: a curve that lies on the surface of a cylinder or cone and
cuts the element at a constant angle [syn: {helix}]
3: ornament consisting of a curve on a plane that winds around
a center with an increasing distance from the center [syn:
{volute}]
4: a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous
series of loops; "a coil of rope" [syn: {coil}, {volute},
{whorl}, {helix}]
5: flying downward in a helical path with a large radius
v 1: to wind or move in a spiral course:" the muscles and nerves
of his fine drawn body were coiling for action,", "black
smoke coiling up into the sky"; "the young people
gyrated on the dance floor" [syn: {gyrate}, {coil}]
2: form a spiral; "The path spirals up the mountain"
3: move in a spiral or zigzag course [syn: {corkscrew}]
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