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# disaster

noun (disaster, disasters)

«disaster» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A disaster is a terrible event that causes a lot of damage, suffering or death, like an earthquake, flood or big crash. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#m1)
2. A disaster is something that goes very badly or fails completely. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#m2)

### In the lessons

In geography and science, natural disasters include floods, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes and tsunamis; families make emergency plans for them. In everyday life, a burnt cake or a wrong costume can be «a disaster» in a joking way. Phrases: «natural disaster», «a total disaster», «end in disaster», «disaster area».

### Examples

- The flood was a natural disaster for the whole town. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x1)
- Our first try at the cake was a disaster. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x2)
- The trip ended in disaster when the bus broke down. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x3)
- People gave money to help the disaster victims. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x4)
- Know your family's plan in case of a disaster. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x5)
- The play was nearly a disaster, but we saved it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x6)
- Scientists study earthquakes to prevent disasters. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x7)
- False confidence often leads to disaster. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/#x8)

### Note

Countable: «a disaster», «disasters». Adjective: «disastrous» (no «e» before r). Exaggeration: in everyday talk people call small problems «a disaster»; in news it means real harm. In maths problems it may come with numbers of people helped, money raised or houses damaged.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: Job says disaster is the fitting fate for evildoers. The tradition often reads suffering as linked to wrongdoing, though the Book of Job questions this idea. In the primary lessons: In geography and science, natural disasters include floods, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes and tsunamis; families make emergency plans for them. In everyday life, a burnt cake or a wrong costume can be «a disaster» in a joking way. Phrases: «natural disaster», «a total disaster», «end in disaster», «disaster area».

### Examples

- Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, and disaster to the workers of iniquity? (Writings JOB.31.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/disaster/#x1)

### Note

Countable: «a disaster», «disasters». Adjective: «disastrous» (no «e» before r). Exaggeration: in everyday talk people call small problems «a disaster»; in news it means real harm. In maths problems it may come with numbers of people helped, money raised or houses damaged.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «disaster» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disaster/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«disaster» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/disaster.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «disaster» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/disaster/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«disaster» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/disaster.html) on Mova free.