question from another list about 'takras'

[Mark Mandel]

Hm! I'd never heard of the "ice breakup" meaning of "debacle". Thanks.

(And... there it is in the OED.)

Mark

On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 3:57 AM, Eric Nielsen <ericbarnak at gmail.com> wrote:

> I spent many years in rural north Idaho where metal roofs were the rule,
> and the sudden slide of snow off the roof was a common winter occurrence.
> Never heard any single word used to refer to this phenomenon in those
> parts. English does have the word "debacle" to refer to the sudden breakup
> of ice on a river--and a big mess.
>
> …

> Eric N
>
>

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