avalanchen.
/ˈavəlɑːn(t)ʃ//ˈavəlan(t)ʃ//avəˈlɑːn(t)ʃ//avəˈlan(t)ʃ/ 1. A large mass of snow, mixed with earth and ice, loosened from a mountain side, and descending swiftly into the valley below.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > precipitation or atmospheric moisture > snow > [noun] > rush of loose or melting snow > avalanche
valanche1766
avalanche1771
lavange1806
ice bolt1815
lauwine1818
vollenge1830
snow slide1841
slab avalanche1953
1765 Nat. Hist. in Ann. Reg. 86/1 The Clergyman..percieving a noise towards the top of the mountains, looked up, and descried two valancas driving headlong towards the village.
1766 T. Smollett Trav. France & Italy xxxviii. 337 Scarce a year passes in which some mules and their drivers do not perish by the valanches.]
1771 T. Pennant Tour Scotl. 1769 111 I have seen these spates..lie cross the roads, as the avelenches, or snow-falls, do those of the Alps.
1787 Monthly Rev. 77 533 They were also apprehensive of exposing themselves to the Avalanches, which are frequently tumbling from the summit of the mountain.
1789 W. Coxe Trav. Switzerland II. xxxviii. 3 We crossed some snow, the remains of a last winter's Avalanche.
1817 Ld. Byron Manfred i. ii. 75 Ye avalanches, whom a breath draws down.
1870 H. Macmillan Bible Teachings ii. 31 The muffled roar of a distant avalanche.
2. transferred and figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > [noun] > rapid or hasty > that which
avalanche1850
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [noun] > misfortune or ill-luck > instance of misfortune or ill-luck
unsitheOE
evila1300
mischiefa1325
illa1340
adversity1340
infortunea1393
infortunity1477
cladec1480
misfortunec1485
fortune1490
trouble?1521
stumble1547
infelicity1575
disgrace1622
unfortunacya1662
disgracia1740
miscanter1781
reversal1846
avalanche1850
rough spin1919
1850 H. B. Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin xxxviii. 334 Overwhelmed by the avalanche of cruelty and wrong which had fallen upon her.
1850 T. Carlyle Latter-day Pamphlets v. 10 Unable longer to endure such an avalanche of forgeries.
c1854 A. P. Stanley Sinai & Palestine (1858) Introd. 41 This mass of ruins..rolled down in avalanches of stones.
Compounds
C1. General attributive.
a.
avalanche-theory n.
ΚΠ
1881 New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon He explains this by the avalanche theory, according to which nervous influence gathers force as it descends.
b.
avalanche-like adj.
ΚΠ
1877 I. Rosenthal Gen. Physiol. Muscles & Nerves 122 Pflüger spoke of it as an avalanche-like increase in the excitement within the nerves.
C2.
avalanche lily n. any one of several large erythroniums found near the snow-line in North America.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular cultivated or ornamental plants > particular flower or plant esteemed for flower > [noun] > lily and allied flowers > allied flowers
dog's tooth1578
daylily1597
mountain saffron1597
phalangium1608
Savoy spiderwort1629
hemerocallis1648
tuberose1664
St Bruno's lily1706
superb lily1731
agapanthus1789
Spanish squill1790
erythronium1797
Tritoma1804
Spanish harebell1808
veltheimia1808
adder's tongue1817
bunch flower1818
Puschkinia1820
hedychium1822
eremurus1836
flame lily1841
lily pink1848
mountain spiderwort1849
lloydia1850
kniphofia1854
garland-flower1866
red-hot poker1870
swamp-lover1878
African lily1882
flame-flower1882
Scarborough lily1882
wood-lily1882
St. Bernard lily1883
torch-lily1884
rajanigandha1885
ginger lily1892
chinkerinchee1904
snow lily1907
sand lily1909
avalanche lily1912
Spanish bluebell1924
mountain lily1932
chink1949
poker1975
1912 A. O. Wheeler Selkirk Mts. 74 The avalanche lilies..which follow the edges of the glaciers.
1952 in Jrnl. Canad. Ling. Assoc. (1956) II. 28 The grass was starred with white anemones and yellow avalanche lilies.
1963 W. S. Avis et al. Dict. Canad. Eng. (Intermediate) 58/2 Avalanche lily, the dogwood violet of the Rockies.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
avalanchev.
/ˈavəlɑːnʃ//ˈavəlanʃ/ intransitive. To descend in or like an avalanche. Also transitive, to carry by or as by an avalanche.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > move downwards [verb (intransitive)] > rapidly > like an avalanche
avalanche1872
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > causing to come or go down > cause to come or go down [verb (transitive)] > rapidly
avalanche1872
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > precipitation or atmospheric moisture > snow > snow or fall (of snow) [verb (intransitive)] > descend in an avalanche
avalanche1923
1872 ‘M. Twain’ Roughing It iv. 38 We avalanched from one end of the stage[-coach] to the other.
1897 Daily News 31 Mar. 6/5 He was gently avalanched downstairs into the street.
1899 E. Œ. Somerville & ‘M. Ross’ Some Experiences Irish R.M. 244 I avalanched down the companion.
1923 Daily Mail 23 June 7 The boulders on the edge are continually avalanching down.
1957 R. W. Clark & E. C. Pyatt Mountaineering in Brit. x. 178 They had nearly completed the ascent and reached a cornice when a snow step avalanched.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online September 2018).
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n.1771v.1872