fracas

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Translations 1.4 Trivia 2 French 2.1 Etymology 2.2 Pronunciation 2.3 Noun

[edit] English

[edit] Etymology

From French fracas, from Italian fracasso, from fracassare, from Latin infra- + Vulgar Latin cassare, from Latin cassus.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈfɹækɑː/
• (US) IPA: /ˈfɹeɪkəs/

[edit] Noun

fracas (plural fracases or fracas)

1. A noisy disorderly quarrel, fight, brawl, disturbance or scrap.
   • 1989, Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day, Faber 1999, paperback edition, p. 16,

     And I recall also some years ago, Mr Rayne, who travelled to America as valet to Sir Reginals Mauvis, remarking that a taxi driver in New York regularly addressed his fare in a manner which if repeated in London would end in some sort of fracas, if not in the fellow being frogmarched to the nearest police station.

   • 1964, Philip K. Dick, The Simulacra, Vintage Books 2002, paperback edition, p. 37,

     The Oregon-Northern California region had lost much of its population during the fracas of 1980; it had been heavily hit by Red Chinese guided missiles, and of course the clouds of fallout had blanketed it in the subsequent decade.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Trivia

Fracas was the winning word at the 6th Scripps National Spelling Bee. [1]

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[edit] French

[edit] Etymology

From Italian fracasso.

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /fʁaka/

[edit] Noun

fracas m. (plural fracas)

1. crash
2. din, roar