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avalanche
[av-uh-lanch, -lahnch]
noun
a large mass of snow, ice, etc., detached from a mountain slope and sliding or falling suddenly downward.
anything like an avalanche in suddenness and overwhelming quantity.
an avalanche of misfortunes; an avalanche of fan mail.
Also called Townsend avalanche.Physics, Chemistry.a cumulative ionization process in which the ions and electrons of one generation undergo collisions that produce a greater number of ions and electrons in succeeding generations.
verb (used without object)
to come down in, or like, an avalanche.
verb (used with object)
to overwhelm with an extremely large amount of anything; swamp.
avalanche
/ ˈæəˌɑːԳʃ /
noun
a fall of large masses of snow and ice down a mountain
a fall of rocks, sand, etc
a sudden or overwhelming appearance of a large quantity of things
an avalanche of letters
physics a group of ions or electrons produced by a single ion or electron as a result of a collision with some other form of matter
verb
to come down overwhelmingly (upon)
avalanche
The sudden fall or slide of a large mass of material down the side of a mountain. Avalanches may contain snow, ice, rock, soil, or a mixture of these materials. Avalanches can be triggered by changes in temperature, by sound vibrations, or by vibrations in the earth itself.
A process resulting in the production of large numbers of ionized particles, in which electrons or ions collide with molecules, with each collision itself producing an additional electron or ion that in turn collides with other molecules. Avalanches are what generate the pulses of electric current that are registered by Geiger counters.
Word History and Origins
Origin of avalanche1
Word History and Origins
Origin of avalanche1
Example Sentences
All these calamities are happening simultaneously — so many disasters coming at such speed that the bad news slams into Marty like a psychological avalanche.
One might wish for an avalanche, were there anything higher to fall on them.
The avalanche of mud that swept over Blatten sounded like a deafening roar, as it swept down into the valley leaving an enormous cloud of dust.
The victims were found at varying altitudes on avalanche debris in high altitude areas near the Swiss-Italian border.
Preparing the road for reopening is a significant undertaking that includes plowing through multiple avalanche zones, clearing downed trees and rockfalls, and preparing campgrounds and critical facilities for visitors, according to the park service.
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