debauch
UK[dɪˈbɔːtʃ]US[dɪˈbɔːtʃ]
v
to lead someone away from morality or virtue; to corrupt, especially through excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures.
n
a bout of excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures, typically involving drinking alcohol.
Etymology
the word 'debauch' entered english in the late 16th century from the french verb 'débaucher', meaning 'to lead astray' or 'to corrupt'. the french term is believed to derive from the old french 'desbaucher', which combined the intensive prefix 'des-' (from latin 'dis-', apart) with 'baucher', a word of uncertain origin possibly related to a beam or trunk, metaphorically suggesting 'to turn someone from their proper work or path'. the core semantic journey is from the literal idea of leading someone away from their duty or proper course, to the more specific modern sense of corrupting through excessive sensual indulgence.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from french. it is not productively formed from smaller, recognizable english morphemes and therefore cannot be meaningfully segmented based on its current spelling.
Examples
the tales of his wild youth were filled with efforts to debauch his more innocent friends.
the weekend turned into a three-day debauch of drinking and revelry.
critics argued that the luxurious environment would debauch the morals of the young students.