debris surge
- noun
- Residents described the debris surge as a wall of dust and rubble rushing toward them.
Examples
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Emergency crews struggled to see through the thick debris surge after the tower came down.
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The debris surge from the collapsed building was overwhelming.
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The documentary showed dramatic footage of a debris surge sweeping through the city streets.
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Watch out for the debris surge!
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Emergency crews struggled to see through the thick debris surge after the tower came down.
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Residents described the debris surge as a wall of dust and rubble rushing toward them.
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The documentary showed dramatic footage of a debris surge sweeping through the city streets.
Synonyms
A sudden strong movement forward or upward, like a wave
A sudden large number of messages or requests that arrive at once
A cloud of dust and broken pieces that fills the air after a collapse or explosion
How Intense
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a sudden powerful movement or flow of debris' is directly and compositionally derived from 'debris' (waste/remains) + 'surge' (sudden, powerful movement). This noun–noun combination follows a common and predictable pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Debris surge comes from the picture of a sudden 'wave' of broken material: debris (dust, bricks, glass) pushed forward in a strong surge after a building falls. So, it means a sudden, powerful spread of dust and rubble that rushes like a wall toward people or places.