Nosedive

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈnəʊzdaɪv/

Definitions

1. A sudden and steep drop that can describe both the rapid descent of an aircraft and a significant downturn in finances or personal reputation
2. An abrupt and drastic decline that refers to the quick fall of an airplane or the notable decrease in quality, status, or value
3. A swift and sharp plunge that signifies both the quick descent of a vehicle and a severe reduction in worth, reputation, or performance

Etymology: "Nosedive" is a compound of "nose" and "dive," and the picture behind it is literal: an aircraft that points its nose straight down and plunges. Aviation gave the word its sense of a sudden, steep fall, and it is still most at home in descriptions of aircraft going into a steep, uncontrolled descent. The "dive" half comes from Old English and Middle English roots meaning to plunge under water or sink headlong, and the "nose" half is the ordinary word for the front of the head. Put together, the compound describes the movement of pointing the front of a moving body downward. The figurative use, where prices, reputations or fortunes take a sharp fall, grew naturally out of that physical image.

Synonyms: plunge, dive, drop, decline, fall

Antonyms: rise, increase, ascend, soar, climb