Debacle, de-bak′l, n. a breaking up of ice on a river: (geol.) a sudden flood of water leaving its path strewed with debris. [Fr. débâcle; de, and bâcler, to bar—L. baculus, a stick.]
Debar, de-bär′, v.t. to bar out from: to exclude: to hinder:—pr.p. debar′ring; pa.p. debarred′.—n. Debar′ment. [L. de, from, and bar.]
Debark, de-bärk′, v.t. or v.i. to land from a ship or boat: to disembark.—ns. Debarkā′tion, Debarcā′tion. [Fr. débarquer—des = L. dis, away, and barque, a ship.]
Debarrass, de-bär′as, v.t. to disembarrass, disentangle, free. [Fr. débarrasser; de, and barre, a bar.]
Debase, de-bās′, v.t. to lower: to make mean or of less value: to adulterate.—adj. Debased′, degraded: (her.) reversed.—n. Debase′ment, degradation.—adj. Debas′ing, tending to lower or degrade.—adv. Debas′ingly. [L. de, down, and base, low.]
Debate, de-bāt′, n. a contention in words or argument: (obs.) strife.—v.t. to contend for in argument: (arch.) to fight for.—v.i. to deliberate: to join in debate.—adjs. Debat′able, liable to be disputed; Debate′ful (Spens.), quarrelsome.—ns. Debate′ment (Spens., Shak.), controversy; Debat′er.—adv. Debat′ingly.—Debatable land, a tract of border land between Esk and Sark claimed both by England and Scotland. [O. Fr. debatre—L. de, and batuĕre, to beat.]
Debauch, de-bawch′, v.t. to lead away from duty or allegiance: to corrupt with lewdness: to pervert.—v.i. to indulge in revelry.—n. a fit of intemperance or debauchery.—p.adj. Debauched′, corrupt: profligate.—adv. Debauch′edly.—ns. Debauch′edness; Deb′auchee, a libertine; Debauch′er; Debauch′ery, excessive intemperance: habitual lewdness; Debauch′ment. [O. Fr. desbaucher (Fr. débaucher), to corrupt—des = L. dis, and baucher, to hew—bauche or bauc, a beam, a course of stones.]
Debel, de-bel′, v.t. (Milt.) to conquer in war. [Fr. débeller—L. debellāre—de, from, and bellāre, to carry on war, from bellum, war.]
Debenture, de-bent′ūr, n. a written acknowledgment of a debt: a deed of mortgage given by a railway or other company for borrowed money: a certificate entitling an exporter of imported goods to a repayment of the duty paid on their importation.—p.adj. Debent′ured, entitled to drawback or debenture, as goods. [L. debentur, there are due, 3d pers. pl. pass. of debēre, to owe—the first word of the receipt.]
Debilitate, de-bil′i-tāt, v.t. to make weak: to impair the strength of.—adj. Deb′ile (arch.), weak, feeble.—ns. Debilitā′tion; Debil′ity, weakness and languor: a weak action of the animal functions. [L. debilitāre, ātum—debilis, weak—de, not, habilis, able. See Ability.]