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dégringolade

American  
[dey-gran-gaw-lad, dey-grang-guh-lahd] / deɪ grɛ̃ gɔˈlad, deɪˌgræŋ gəˈlɑd /

noun

dégringolades plural
  1. French. a quick deterioration or breakdown, as of a situation or circumstance.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of dégringolade

First recorded in 1880–85; literally “a quick deterioration,” from dégringoler “to tumble down” + -ade 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Months later came the dégringolade, when sterling was driven out of the European exchange rate mechanism.

From The Guardian Aug. 12, 2012

How perfectly true to life, subsequently, is the rapid dégringolade of this passion under the gnawing curse of the homeless, workless, purposeless existence which little by little disunites the lovers!

From Prophets of Dissent : Essays on Maeterlinck, Strindberg, Nietzsche and Tolstoy by Heller, Otto

But the phlegmatic Englishman won't lead in that dégringolade.'

From The Convert by Robins, Elizabeth

The news from Europe is to my ignorant ideas désolant, a dégringolade back into military despotism, which would have excited indignation with us in our fathers’ days, I think. 

From Letters from Egypt by Ross, Janet

One of the earliest marks of these dégringolades is, that the victim begins to disappear from the New Town thoroughfares, and takes to the High Street, like a wounded animal to the woods.

From The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 1 (of 25) by Lang, Andrew

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