nosedive

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 a sudden steep fall or drop; a situation where sth suddenly becomes worse or begins to fail: Oil prices took a nosedive in the crisis. * These policies have sent the construction industry into an abrupt nosedive. * (figurative) Her spirits took a sudden nosedive after her husband's death. * Stock markets have crashed in the biggest nosedive this century. 2 the sudden sharp fall of an aircraft towards the ground with its front part pointing down: The pilot put the plane into a nosedive. verb [V] 1 (of prices, costs, etc.) to fall suddenly SYNPLUMMET: Building costs have nosedived. * During that period the quality of British film-making nosedived. 2 (of an aircraft) to fall suddenly with the front part pointing towards the ground