1
- a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside雪崩; 山崩。
1.1
- a large mass of any material moving rapidly downhill（从山下涌下的）大量崩坍物：
an avalanche of mud.
滚滚泥流。
1.2
- figurative a sudden arrival or occurrence of something in overwhelming quantities〈喻〉（突然而又大量的）涌现：
we have had an avalanche of applications for the post.
我们突然收到一大批这个职位的申请表。
1.3
- Physics a cumulative process in which a fast-moving ion or electron generates further ions and electrons by collision【物理】（离子或电子）雪崩。
no obj.
1- (of a mass of snow, ice, and rocks) descend rapidly down a mountainside（雪、冰或岩石）崩塌。
1.1
- with obj.（一般作 be avalanched）engulf or carry off by such a mass of material包围; 冲走：
the climbers were avalanched down the south face of the mountain.
登山者顺着南坡被冲下山。
1.2
- no obj. Physics undergo a rapid increase in conductivity due to an avalanche process【物理】（由于电子雪崩而）电导率突增。
词源
late 18th cent.: from French， alteration of the Alpine dialect word lavanche (of unknown origin)， influenced by avaler 'descend'; compare with Italian valanga.