de·ba·cle 
(dĭ-bäkəl, -băkəl, dĕbə-kəl)
(dĭ-bäkəl, -băkəl, dĕbə-kəl)n.
1. A sudden, disastrous collapse, downfall, or defeat; a rout.
2. A total, often ludicrous failure.
3. The breaking up of ice in a river.
4. A violent flood.
[French débâcle, from débâcler, to unbar, from Old French desbacler : des-, de- + bacler, to bar (from Vulgar Latin *bacculāre, from Latin baculum, rod; see bak- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).]