avalanche: [18] Not surprisingly, avalanche originated in the Alps. The French dialect of Savoy, an area near the Italian border in the western Alps, had a term lavantse, apparently derived from a Vulgar Latin *labanca (whence Proven?al lavanca). Through association with the verb avaler ‘descend’ (see DOWN), this underwent metathesis (transposition of l and v) to produce in the Romansh language of Switzerland avalantze, which was borrowed into French as avalanche.
avalanche (n.)
1763, from French avalanche (17c.), from Romansch (Swiss) avalantze "descent," altered (by metathesis of -l- and -v-, probably influenced by Old French avaler "to descend, go down") from Savoy dialect lavantse, from Proven?al lavanca "avalanche," perhaps from a pre-Latin Alpine language (the suffix -anca suggests Ligurian). As a verb, from 1872.
雙語例句
1. Khalil heard the thunder of an avalanche.
哈利勒聽到了雪崩傳來的轟隆聲。
來自柯林斯例句
2. alpine villages destroyed in an avalanche
在一場雪崩中被摧毀的高山村莊
來自《權威詞典》
3. They were killed by an avalanche in the Swiss Alps.
他們在瑞士阿爾卑斯山的一次雪崩中罹難.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》
4. Headquarters was swamped by an avalanche of applications for battle assignments.