av·a·lanche 
(ăvə-lănch′)
(ăvə-lănch′)n.
1. A fall or slide of a large mass of material, especially of snow, down a mountainside.
2. A massive or overwhelming amount; a flood: received an avalanche of mail.
v. av·a·lanched, av·a·lanch·ing, av·a·lanch·es
v.intr.
To fall or slide in a massive or overwhelming amount.
v.tr.
To overwhelm; inundate.
[French; akin to Provençal lavanca, ravine, perhaps ultimately from Latin lābī, to slip.]