Top definition
A bad situation or behavior that is the cause of another situation (or causal chain) which in turn causes the first, bad situation again.
A positive feedback loop in which the result is bad.
A positive feedback loop in which the result is bad.
A vicious cycle in "The Little Prince":
'I am drinking,' answered the drunkard lugubriously.
'Why are you drinking?' the little prince asked.
'In order to forget,' replied the drunkard.
'To forget what?' enquired the little prince, who was already feeling sorry for him.
'To forget that I am ashamed,' the drunkard confessed, hanging his head.
'Ashamed of what?' asked the little prince who wanted to help him.
'Ashamed of drinking!' concluded the drunkard, withdrawing into total silence.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
'I am drinking,' answered the drunkard lugubriously.
'Why are you drinking?' the little prince asked.
'In order to forget,' replied the drunkard.
'To forget what?' enquired the little prince, who was already feeling sorry for him.
'To forget that I am ashamed,' the drunkard confessed, hanging his head.
'Ashamed of what?' asked the little prince who wanted to help him.
'Ashamed of drinking!' concluded the drunkard, withdrawing into total silence.
- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
by dreamlandburns August 27, 2008
2
A circular process that requires one to do perform an action that has some effect and as a result requires the same action to be done again.
Every time I pulled a tissue out of the box more dust was stirred up which caused me to require yet another tissue- a vicious cycle.
The more sweets I ate the more my sweet tooth grew.
The more sweets I ate the more my sweet tooth grew.
by GKBono September 21, 2006
3
I am so tired of peeing. I drink the water, which I apparently need to live or something, and then I have to go put the water somewhere else five minutes later! I drink the water, I go to a place to un-drink the water, I wash my hands, I leave, and then I have to drink MORE WATER! Guess where that water ends up? Not in me! I give the water to my body, and like a child, it tosses it out and demands more. All hours of the day, all hours of the night, no matter what I'm doing, my life is interrupted by piss!
Fucking Bullshit!
Fucking Bullshit!
The vicious cycle of piss.
by Dopl September 10, 2020
4
Some people like to use the term "vicious cycle" when they mean "vicious circle", because "cycle" and "circle" sound familiar, but the correct terminology is "vicious circle"
by Tex01 November 18, 2007