vicious circle

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The Word of the Day for January 12 is: 

vicious circle   \VISH-us-SER-kul\   noun
     1 : an argument or definition that assumes as true something that is to be 
proven or defined
    *2 : a chain of events in which the response to one difficulty creates a 
new problem that aggravates the original difficulty 

Example sentence:
     Lower profits lead to spending cuts, which cause falling sales, in a 
vicious circle.

Did you know?
     "Vicious circle" originally referred to a circular argument, that is, an 
argument that assumes the conclusion as one of its premises. That sense was 
first documented around the end of the 18th century. Approximately 50 years 
later, "vicious circle" acquired the now more common "chain of events" sense as 
people began to think of the circle as a metaphorical circle rather than a 
circular argument. Today, "vicious cycle" is a common variant for the "chain of 
events" sense. "Vicious spiral," in which the ill effects are cumulative as 
well as self-aggravating, puts in an occasional appearance as well. 

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.