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| de·ba·cle [ də bk'l, də bák'l ] (plural de·ba·cles) |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. chaotic failure: a sudden disaster, defeat, or humiliating failure
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2. breakup of river ice: a sudden breakup of river ice in the spring thaw, causing a violent rush of water and ice
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| [Early 19th century. < French< débâcler "unbar" (of ice breaking on a river) < Latin bacculus "stick"] |
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