catastrophe

ca·tas·tro·phe

C0156000 (kə-tăs′trə-fē)n.1. A great, often sudden calamity.2. A complete failure; a fiasco: The food was cold, the guests quarreled—the whole dinner was a catastrophe.3. The concluding action of a drama, especially a classical tragedy, following the climax and containing a resolution of the plot.4. A sudden violent change in the earth's surface; a cataclysm.

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[Greek katastrophē, an overturning, ruin, conclusion, from katastrephein, to ruin, undo : kata-, cata- + strephein, to turn; see streb(h)- in Indo-European roots.]

catastrophe

(kəˈtæstrəfɪ) n1. a sudden, extensive, or notable disaster or misfortune2. (Theatre) the denouement of a play, esp a classical tragedy3. a final decisive event, usually causing a disastrous end4. (Geological Science) Also called: cataclysm any sudden and violent change in the earth's surface caused by flooding, earthquake, or some other rapid process[C16: from Greek katastrophē, from katastrephein to overturn, from strephein to turn] catastrophic adj ˌcataˈstrophically adv

ca•tas•tro•phe

(kəˈtæs trə fi)

n. 1. a sudden and widespread disaster. 2. any misfortune or failure; fiasco. 3. a disastrous end. 4. the point in a drama following the climax and introducing the conclusion. 5. a sudden, violent disturbance, esp. of a part of the surface of the earth. [1570–80; < Greek katastrophḗ an overturning, n. derivative of katastréphein to overturn. See cata-, strophe] cat•a•stroph•ic (ˌkæt əˈstrɒf ɪk) cat`a•stroph′i•cal, adj. cat`a•stroph′i•cal•ly, adv. syn: See disaster.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	catastrophe - an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster"calamity, tragedy, cataclysm, disastermisfortune, bad luck - unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate eventact of God, force majeure, inevitable accident, unavoidable casualty, vis major - a natural and unavoidable catastrophe that interrupts the expected course of events; "he discovered that his house was not insured against acts of God"apocalypse - a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evilfamine - a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and deathkiss of death - something that is ruinous; "if this were known it would be the kiss of death for my political career"meltdown - a disaster comparable to a nuclear meltdown; "there is little likelihood of a meltdown comparable to the American banking collapse in March 1933"plague - any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God)visitation - any disaster or catastrophe; "a visitation of the plague"tidal wave - an unusual (and often destructive) rise of water along the seashore caused by a storm or a combination of wind and high tidetsunami - a cataclysm resulting from a destructive sea wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption; "a colossal tsunami destroyed the Minoan civilization in minutes"
	2.	catastrophe - a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune; "lack of funds has resulted in a catastrophe for our school system"; "his policies were a disaster"disasteradversity, hard knocks, hardship - a state of misfortune or affliction; "debt-ridden farmers struggling with adversity"; "a life of hardship"
	3.	catastrophe - a sudden violent change in the earth's surfacecataclysmgeological phenomenon - a natural phenomenon involving the structure or composition of the earthnuclear winter - a long period of darkness and extreme cold that scientists predict would follow a full-scale nuclear war; a layer of dust and smoke in the atmosphere would cover the earth and block the rays of the sun; most living organisms would perish

catastrophe

noun disaster, tragedy, calamity, meltdown (informal), cataclysm, trouble, trial, blow, failure, reverse, misfortune, devastation, adversity, mishap, affliction, whammy (informal, chiefly U.S.), bummer (slang), mischance, fiasco The world is heading towards an environmental catastrophe.

catastrophe

nounAn occurrence inflicting widespread destruction and distress:calamity, cataclysm, disaster, tragedy.

Translations

大灾难

catastrophe

(kəˈtӕstrəfi) noun a sudden great disaster. earthquakes and other natural catastrophes; Her brother's death was a catastrophe for the family. 大災難 大灾难catastrophic (kӕtəˈstrofik) adjective 災難性的 大灾难的ˌcataˈstrophically adverb 災難性地 大灾难地

catastrophe

→ 大灾难zhCN