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disaster

   Also found in: Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
dis·as·ter  (d-zstr, -ss-)
n.
1.
a. An occurrence causing widespread destruction and distress; a catastrophe.
b. A grave misfortune.
2. Informal A total failure: The dinner party was a disaster.
3. Obsolete An evil influence of a star or planet.

[French désastre, from Italian disastro : dis-, pejorative pref. (from Latin dis-; see dis-) + astro, star (from Latin astrum, from Greek astron; see ster-3 in Indo-European roots).]

disaster
Noun
1. an accident that causes great distress or destruction
2. something, such as a project, that fails or has been ruined [Italian disastro]
disastrous adj
disastrously adv
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.disasterdisaster - a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune; "lack of funds has resulted in a catastrophe for our school system"; "his policies were a disaster"
adversity, hard knocks, hardship - a state of misfortune or affliction; "debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity"; "a life of hardship"
2.disasterdisaster - an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster"
misfortune, bad luck - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
act of God, force majeure, inevitable accident, unavoidable casualty, vis major - a natural and unavoidable catastrophe that interrupts the expected course of events; "he discovered that his house was not insured against acts of God"
apocalypse - a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil
famine - a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death
kiss of death - something that is ruinous; "if this were known it would be the kiss of death for my political career"
meltdown - a disaster comparable to a nuclear meltdown; "there is little likelihood of a meltdown comparable to the American banking collapse in March 1933"
plague - any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God)
visitation - any disaster or catastrophe; "a visitation of the plague"
tidal wave - an unusual (and often destructive) rise of water along the seashore caused by a storm or a combination of wind and high tide
tsunami - a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption; "a colossal tsunami destroyed the Minoan civilization in minutes"
3.disaster - an act that has disastrous consequences
destruction, devastation - the termination of something by causing so much damage to it that it cannot be repaired or no longer exists

disaster
noun 2. failure, mess, flop (informal) catastrophe, rout, debacle, cock-up Brit. (slang) washout (informal)
Translations
Spanish disaster [dɪˈzɑːstəʳ] ndesastre m
French disaster [dɪˈzɑːstəʳ] ncatastrophe f, désastre m
German disaster [dɪˈzɑːstəʳ] nKatastrophe f;
(Aviat etc) → Unglück nt (fig) (mess) → Fiasko nt

Italian disaster [dɪˈzɑːstəʳ] ndisastro

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Such a disaster meant anywhere between twenty-five to eighty cents, just according to how many of the players ordered ten-cent drinks.
As Adam was a-working outside of Eden-Wall, He used the Earth, he used the Seas, he used the Air and all; And out of black disaster He arose to be the master Of Earth and Water, Air and Fire, But never reached his heart's desire
The deity predicted certain disaster to the presumptuous mortal who laid hands on the sacred gem, and to all of his house and name who received it after him.
 
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