[Loch-Ruadh] word of the day

[Jane Sitton]

The Word of the Day for November 7 is:  debacle * \dee-BAH-kul or
dee-BACK-ul\ * (noun)  1:  a tumultuous breakup of ice in a river  2:  a
violent disruption (as of an army):  rout  3a:  a great disaster  *b:  a
complete failure:  fiasco

Example sentence:  "After the debacle of Rich's last party," said Amanda,
sipping her cocktail, "I'm surprised anyone showed up for this one tonight."

Did you know?  "Debacle" comes from the French "débâcle," which comes from
the verb "débâcler," meaning "to clear," "to unbolt," or "to unbar."  The
word comes from the Middle French "desbacler," which joined the prefix
"des-" (equivalent to our "de-," meaning "to do the opposite of") with the
verb "bacler" ("to block").  In its original uses, "debacle" meant a
breaking up of ice, or the rush of ice or water that follows such an
occurrence.  Eventually, "debacle" was used also to mean "a violent,
destructive flood."  Naturally, such uses led to meanings such as "a
breaking up," "collapse," and finally "disaster" or "fiasco."