tailspin

tailspin — (n.) downward spiraling dive of an aircraft, 1916, from TAIL (Cf. tail) (n.1) + SPIN (Cf. spin) (n.). Figurative sense of state of loss of control is from 1928 …   Etymology dictionary

tailspin — ► NOUN ▪ a spin by an aircraft …   English terms dictionary

tailspin — [tāl′spin΄] n. 1. SPIN (n. 5): also tail spin 2. a state of rapidly increasing depression or confusion …   English World dictionary

Tailspin — The term Tailspin can refer to several things: * , a 1989 television movie that tells the story of Korean Air Flight 007, which was shot down by Soviet jet fighters in 1983. * TaleSpin, an animated character series that used characters from the… …   Wikipedia

tailspin — noun a) The rapid, uncontrollable descent of an aircraft in a steep spiral. The loss of the third engine threw the plane into a tailspin. b) A severe mental or emotional …   Wiktionary

tailspin — n. to go into a tailspin * * * to go into a tailspin …   Combinatory dictionary

tailspin — tail|spin [ˈteılˌspın] n [C usually singular] 1.) in/into a tailspin in or into a bad situation that keeps getting worse in a way that you cannot control ▪ Raising interest rates could send the economy into a tailspin . 2.) when a plane falls… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

tailspin — tail|spin [ teıl,spın ] noun singular 1. ) INFORMAL an occasion when something or someone suddenly gets into a very bad state: sending the nation s financial markets into a tailspin 2. ) an occasion when an airplane falls in the sky with its NOSE …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

tailspin — UK [ˈteɪlˌspɪn] / US noun [singular] 1) an occasion when a plane falls in the sky with its nose (= front part) downwards and its tail (= end part) spinning in a very wide circle The plane went into a tailspin. 2) informal an occasion when… …   English dictionary

tailspin — See: GO INTO A TAILSPIN …   Dictionary of American idioms

tailspin — See: GO INTO A TAILSPIN …   Dictionary of American idioms