cyclic
cyclic — adjective
1. happening in a regular pattern where the same events or conditions repeat themse
happening in a regular pattern where the same events or conditions repeat themselves again and again over time
The company's profits follow a cyclic pattern that rises and falls every few years.
collocation: cyclic pattern
Eitan noticed a cyclic change in traffic on the bridge during holiday seasons.
The demand for air conditioning is cyclic, peaking in summer and dropping in winter.
Scientists have recorded cyclic weather shifts that repeat every eleven years.
Ramón walks along the beach each morning and watches the cyclic rise and fall of the tide.
- non-cyclic
describes something that does not follow a repeating pattern
- irregular
lacks a predictable schedule or order
文法句型
cyclic + noun
be cyclic
用法筆記
Commonly paired with nouns describing natural, economic, or biological processes that go through predictable stages before returning to an earlier state.
常見錯誤
☓ 'The weather has been cyclic today, raining and stopping repeatedly.' ✅ 'The weather has followed a cyclic pattern this week, with rain returning every afternoon.' — 'cyclic' describes a regular repeating pattern over time, not a single day's irregular on-and-off changes.
2. describing a chemical compound whose atoms form a closed ring, rather than an op
describing a chemical compound whose atoms form a closed ring, rather than an open chain of connected atoms
Bilal studied the properties of cyclic hydrocarbons during his chemistry lab class.
collocation: cyclic hydrocarbons
Cyclic molecules often have different chemical properties than their open-chain forms.
domain contrast: cyclic vs. open-chain
The chemist explained how carbon atoms form a cyclic structure in benzene.
Cyclic compounds are found in many natural substances, including certain vitamins.
- ring-shaped
describes the physical arrangement of atoms but is less technical
- closed-chain
direct contrast to 'open-chain'; describes the bonding pattern
- circular
informal equivalent; avoided in technical writing
- acyclic
the standard technical opposite in chemistry
- open-chain
describes molecules with atoms arranged in a linear chain
文法句型
cyclic + noun (chemistry context)
用法筆記
Restricted to chemistry contexts. The opposite structure is called 'acyclic' or 'open-chain'. Common prefixes for ring sizes include 'cyclo-' (e.g. cyclohexane).
常見錯誤
☓ 'A cyclic shape' (referring to a simple circle in geometry). ✅ 'A cyclic compound' or 'cyclic molecule' — in chemistry, 'cyclic' describes a ring-shaped molecular structure, not just any round outline.
cyclic — noun
1. the control stick in a helicopter that allows the pilot to change the angle of t
the control stick in a helicopter that allows the pilot to change the angle of the rotor blades in order to move the aircraft forward, backward, or sideways
The pilot moved the cyclic to tilt the helicopter forward and gain speed.
collocation: move the cyclic
Lotte practiced using the cyclic to keep the helicopter steady in a hover.
pattern: use the cyclic to [purpose]
A sudden push on the cyclic sent the aircraft into a sharp turn.
The instructor showed Jack how the cyclic controls the direction of flight.
- cyclic control
fuller term; used in training manuals
- cyclic stick
emphasises the physical shape of the device
文法句型
the cyclic
cyclic + verb
用法筆記
Distinguish from the 'collective' — the cyclic controls horizontal direction (forward/backward/sideways), while the collective controls vertical movement (altitude). Often referred to simply as 'the cyclic' in helicopter training.
常見錯誤
☓ 'The pilot adjusted the cyclic to change altitude.' ✅ 'The pilot adjusted the cyclic to change direction.' — The cyclic controls horizontal movement, not altitude. The collective control handles altitude.