Get the inside tip with America's number one radio show about language, A Way with Words
Dictionary definition of “train wreck”

train wreck

n. a disaster or failure, especially one that is unstoppable or unavoidable; a disorganized, problematic, or chaotic person or thing; an incongruous situation. Subjects: ,
2 Comments | Cites | Permalink | Tell a Friend
Citations:
Posted 28 Jun 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend
Reader comments:
To “a disaster or failure” I would add, “especially one that, though foreseen, is difficult or impossible to avert.”
by Tom Kysilko 20 Dec 06, 0231 GMT
The second definition, above, relating to a person, was used in a recent episode of Mad Men.  I was curious if this usage was around in the early 60s.  I don’t recall the first time I heard it, but it seems more recent.  Anyone know?
by James E. Powell 11 Oct 08, 0505 GMT

Leave a comment (must be approved by the moderator before it will appear).

Name (mandatory):

Email (mandatory):

Location (optional):

Your Web Site (optional):

Remember my personal information

Notify me, by email, of follow-up comments.

Recent Catchwords
macaroon technique n. (2/19)
sorry gift n. (2/19)
break the ton v. phr. (2/19)
ghost shift n. (2/17)
stock n. (2/13)
startle factor n. (2/13)
hair crush n. (2/13)
seagen n. (2/13)
rollup n. (11/30)
simming n. (11/8)
nimbleton n. (11/6)
kitchen n. (11/6)
skuke n. (11/6)
parlor n. (11/6)
broccoli journalism n. (10/19)
strap hanging n. (10/8)
parclo n. (10/8)
Dipper n. (10/8)
jeggings n. (10/5)
dittoism n. (10/5)
 More catchwords...
Lexicographer's Rules
New verses to “My Darling Clementine” (4/19)
How do you pronounce “both”? Please take the survey! (3/9)
Garbanzos or chickpeas? (3/4)
Buzzwords of 2009 in the New York Times (12/20)
A note found inside Birds of the Pacific Coast (12/16)
Now accepting nominations for the 2009 “word of the year” and the 2000-9 “word of the decade” (11/15)
How much underworld slang is still used from 80 years ago? (10/27)
Remembering William Safire (9/27)
The elephant in the language (8/12)
Updates will continue to be slow for Double-Tongued (7/19)
 More blog entries...
Find A Word  »
 A   B   C   D   E 
 F   G   H   I   J 
 K   L   M   N   O 
 P   Q   R   S   T 
 U   V   W   X   Y 
 Z   0-9 
Search
Search Site

Google Site Search
Recent searches: 's one… 's one for… home …
New Comments
Lance Hidy commented on flymph (3/23)
sunnyboy0 commented on seagen (2/12)
Trafficman2 commented on parclo (2/12)
paul Teague commented on Taig (2/5)
paul Teague commented on Taig (2/5)
vickie commented on moded (1/5)
midsummer commented on gleek (1/3)
to run away is to Die In Tragedy commented on robotripping (12/4)
TheAnalyst commented on mouth-breather (12/4)
Peter Williams commented on strap hanging (10/30)
hebotick commented on sorry gift (10/18)
urbanclothingguy commented on sorry gift (8/20)
Lolo commented on vacationship (8/17)
teresag commented on pump head (8/3)
kcjones007 commented on wooby (7/15)
Subscribe to the RSS feed. • Subscribe to the mailing list. • Browse the archive. • Add to Technorati Favorites. • © 1999-2012 by Grant Barrett, Double-Tongued Dictionary.