I. cy ‧ cle 1 S3 W3 AC /ˈsaɪk ə l/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ cyclic , cyclical; noun : ↑ cycle ; adverb : ↑ cyclically ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: French ; Origin: Late Latin cyclus , from Greek kyklos 'circle, wheel, cycle' ]
1 . a number of related events that happen again and again in the same order ⇨ cyclic :
a woman’s menstrual cycle
cycle of
the cycle of the seasons
Sometimes the only way to break the cycle of violence in the home is for the wife to leave.
⇨ ↑ life cycle , ⇨ vicious cycle at ↑ vicious circle
2 . especially British English a bicycle or ↑ motorcycle :
cycle routes
3 . the period of time needed for a machine to finish a process:
This washing machine has a 50-minute cycle.
4 . a group of songs, poems etc that are all about a particular important event
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + cycle
▪ sth’s life cycle (=the stages of life that happen in order)
Dragonflies develop wings in the last stage of their life cycle.
▪ an annual/monthly/weekly cycle (=the related events that repeat themselves every year, month etc)
the annual cycle of planting and harvesting crops
▪ a business/economic/election etc cycle (=related events in business, the economy etc that repeat themselves over a certain period)
the presidential election cycle
▪ the lunar/solar cycle (=relating to the moon or the sun)
the 28-day lunar cycle
▪ a natural cycle
the natural cycle of birth and death
▪ the menstrual cycle (=relating to the blood that women lose each month)
Illness can disrupt your menstrual cycle.
■ verbs
▪ go/pass through a cycle
Advanced economies seem to go through a regular cycle.
▪ break a cycle (=stop a bad cycle happening)
If people can get jobs, they can break the cycle of poverty and debt.
▪ complete a cycle
The birds were able to complete their breeding cycle as farmers delayed cutting the hedges.
■ phrases
▪ a cycle of poverty/activity/birth and death etc
the cycle of violence between the two countries
▪ be trapped in a cycle
The country is trapped in a cycle of poverty and under-development.
▪ a stage/phase of a cycle
the recovery phase of the economic cycle
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ cycle + NOUN
▪ a cycle lane (=part of a road that only cycles can use)
Cars are not allowed in the cycle lanes.
▪ a cycle path/track (=path for cycles in a park, wood etc, or beside a road)
The forest is full of beautiful cycle paths.
▪ a cycle route (=way of getting somewhere on a cycle)
I bought a map of all the cycle routes in the area.
▪ a cycle ride (=trip on a bicycle for pleasure)
We went for a 20 km cycle ride.
▪ a cycle race
the annual cycle race around France
▪ a cycle helmet (=hat to protect your head)
He wasn’t wearing a cycle helmet.
▪ cycle hire (=hiring a cycle to use)
Cycle hire is available in the town centre.
II. cycle 2 AC BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive] especially British English to travel by bicycle SYN bike American English
cycle to/down/home etc
Do you cycle to work?
2 . [intransitive and transitive] American English to go through a series of related events again and again, or to make something do this:
The water is cycled through the machine and reused.