# "A vicious \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937 "2010-08-11T15:04:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/1 "2010-08-11T15:04:01Z")
Vote. Discuss. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/2 "2010-08-11T15:06:19Z")
Rumor ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/3 "2010-08-11T15:13:59Z")
Lie Pit Bull Liquid (oops, that’s viscous) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/4 "2010-08-11T15:15:21Z")
I thought “circle” and then “dog”. Google brings up 4,930,000 hits for “A vicious cycle” and 6,350,000 hits for “A vicious circle”. [Origin from phrases.com](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/vicious-circle.html) ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/5 "2010-08-11T15:25:11Z")
A circle is a shape. I’ve never understood how it can be vicious. A cycle is a pattern of repeated actions or causes-and-effects. That shit can ruin your day. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/6 "2010-08-11T15:26:45Z")
I don’t care what your facts say. It’s “cycle”. “Circle” makes no sense. A causes B, which causes A, which causes B. That’s not a circle, it’s a cycle. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/7 "2010-08-11T15:33:33Z")
_Metaphor_, folks. We’re talking metaphor. “Vicious cycle” is too literal. “Vicious circle” is more metaphorical, like the circle of life, and thus better. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/8 "2010-08-11T15:38:30Z")
Dorothy Parker wept. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/9 "2010-08-11T15:42:21Z")
Are you asking whether the standard phrase uses circle or cycle? Or are you asking what word do I think of when I hear the word vicious? 'Cause the answers to the two are circle and weasel. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/10 "2010-08-11T15:44:03Z")
I always said “circle” but now I’m wondering whether that makes any sense… ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/11 "2010-08-11T15:44:21Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Are you asking whether the standard phrase uses circle or cycle? Or are you asking what word do I think of when I hear the word vicious? 'Cause the answers to the two are circle and weasel. Yeah, someone else pointed out I wasn’t being all that clear. The point was whether the standard phrase uses circle, cycle, or “something else” to indicate a closed system. Sorry for the confusion! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/12 "2010-08-11T15:48:21Z")
Rabbit. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/13 "2010-08-11T15:58:20Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > _Metaphor_, folks. We’re talking metaphor. “Vicious cycle” is too literal. “Vicious circle” is more metaphorical, like the circle of life, and thus better. Also you can do that joke where you form your finger and thumb into a circle and make it go “raaar”, then say “what’s that?” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/14 "2010-08-11T16:21:01Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > A circle is a shape. I’ve never understood how it can be vicious. [A vicious circle.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Geps9d_r1Xw&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/15 "2010-08-11T16:33:05Z")
… case of raging herpes. Wait, what are we voting on again? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/16 "2010-08-11T16:35:59Z")
Good luck on this poll changing any minds! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/17 "2010-08-11T16:38:51Z")
Vicious bottle. _Well it’s too damn early and your eyes are bleeding From the vicious bottle the night before_ John Cale - “Dirty Ass Rock And Roll” ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/18 "2010-08-11T16:50:41Z")
It’s definitely “vicious circle”. Anyone who thinks it is “vicious cycle” has misunderstood someone saying “vicious circle” in a strong New Jersey accent. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/19 "2010-08-11T16:52:52Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > It’s definitely “vicious circle”. Anyone who thinks it is “vicious cycle” has misunderstood someone saying “vicious circle” in a strong New Jersey accent. Now, see – I’ve always thought people who said “circle” were just being lazy and/or mishearing “cycle.” I did not expect this poll to be so even. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937/20 "2010-08-11T16:54:58Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > > [@KneadToKnow](#): > > > > A circle is a shape. I’ve never understood how it can be vicious. > > [A vicious circle.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Geps9d_r1Xw&feature=related) Sorry, I couldn’t hear you over the Gabrielle. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vicious-________/549937.md?page=2)