English Explanatory Dictionary

debauch

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An individual act of debauchery.
  2. An orgy.
verb
  1. To morally corrupt (someone); to seduce.
  2. To debase (something); to lower the value of (something).
  3. To indulge in revelry.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈbɔːt͡ʃ/ en-au-debauch.ogg

Word forms

debauch debauches debosh debauching debauched

Etymology

1590s, from Middle French desbaucher (“entice from work or duty”), from Old French desbauchier (“to lead astray”), from des- + bauch (“beam”), from Frankish *balkō, from Proto-Germanic *balkô, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰelǵ- (“beam, plank”); latter origin of balk. Evolution of sense unclear; may be literally “to shave/trim wood to make a beam” or may be “to leave/lure someone from a workshop”, Frankish *balkō perhaps also meaning “workshop”. Possible corruption by way of Anglicised French term bord (“edge, curb”): curb crawling as a synonym for prostitution. Parallels in modern German: Bordsteinschwalbe (“prostitute”, literally “Curb-stone-swallow”). English words bawd, bawdiness may be similarly connected.

Synonyms

immoralize lead astray sophisticate adulterate corrupt debauch demoralize detort file pervert pollute preposterate seduce suborn subvert tamper unmoralize vitiate warp abase degrade devalue avile debase depreciate devaluate dirty elevate carouse celebrate party revel

Related words

balk

Derived words

debauchee debaucher debauchery debauchment debauchness
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