debacle

de·ba·cle  (d-bäkl, -bkl, db-kl)

n.

1. A sudden, disastrous collapse, downfall, or defeat; a rout.

2. A total, often ludicrous failure.

3. The breaking up of ice in a river.

4. A violent flood.

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[French débâcle, from débâcler, to unbar, from Old French desbacler : des-, de- + bacler, to bar (from Vulgar Latin *bacculre, from Latin baculum, rod; see bak- in Indo-European roots).]

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debacle [deɪˈbɑːk^əl dɪ-]

n

1. (Military) a sudden disastrous collapse or defeat, esp one involving a disorderly retreat; rout

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Environmental Science) the breaking up of ice in a river during spring or summer, often causing flooding

3. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Environmental Science) a violent rush of water carrying along debris

[from French débâcle, from Old French desbacler to unbolt, ultimately from Latin baculum rod, staff]

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Debacle a confused rush or route; a violent rush of water.

Example: a debacle of water, 1823.

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debacle - Comes from French debacler, "to unbar, free," with the root sense being "to shatter with one's rod"; its original meaning was "a breaking-up of ice in a river" or a "sudden flood or rush of water carrying debris."

See also related terms for rush.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	debacle - a sudden and violent collapse fiasco collapse - a natural event caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in; "the roof is in danger of collapse"; "the collapse of the old star under its own gravity"
	2.	debacle - flooding caused by a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river during the spring or summer flood, inundation, alluvion, deluge - the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land; "plains fertilized by annual inundations"
	3.	debacle - a sound defeat                       thrashing, trouncing, walloping, drubbing, slaughter, whipping defeat, licking - an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest; "it was a narrow defeat"; "the army's only defeat"; "they suffered a convincing licking"

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debacle débâcle

noun disaster, catastrophe, fiasco the convention was a debacle

Translations

debacle débâcle [deɪˈbɑːkl] N → debacle f, desastre m (Mil) → derrota f

debacle [deɪˈbɑːk^əl dɪˈbɑːk^əl] n

(British) (= fiasco) → fiasco m

(= military disaster) → débâcle f

debacle [deɪˈbɑːkl] n → disastro; (defeat) → disfatta; (collapse) → sfacelo