Plural of debacle; sudden, disastrous failures or collapses, especially referring to military defeats or complete breakdowns of a system.
From French 'débâcle,' originally referring to the breaking apart of ice in a river. It comes from 'débâcler' (to clear away), from 'de-' and 'bâcle' (bar or barrier). The metaphorical meaning of 'catastrophic collapse' developed because ice breaking causes disasters.
The word started from ice breaking apart in rivers—which actually was dangerous—and became slang for any dramatic failure, showing how natural disasters inspire the words we use for human disasters.
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