Hypertext Webster Gateway: "debacle"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Debacle \De*ba"cle\, n. [F. d['e]b[^a]cle, fr. d['e]b[^a]cler to
unbar, break loose; pref. d['e]- (prob. = L. dis) + b[^a]cler
to bolt, fr. L. baculum a stick.] (Geol.)
A breaking or bursting forth; a violent rush or flood of
waters which breaks down opposing barriers, and hurls forward
and disperses blocks of stone and other d['e]bris.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Debacle \De*ba"cle\, n.
A sudden breaking up or breaking loose; a violent dispersion
or disruption; impetuous rush; outburst.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
debacle
n 1: a sudden and violent collapse [syn: {fiasco}]
2: flooding caused by a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river
during the spring or summer
3: a sound defeat [syn: {thrashing}, {walloping}, {drubbing}, {slaughter},
{trouncing}, {whipping}]
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