Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
debouch, debauch (vv.)
Except for a superficial similarity in the spellings, these Standard words differ greatly. Debouch is a French word (pronounced either dee-BOOSH or di-BOOSH) meaning “to come out into the open,” as troops might from a narrow declivity into an open field or as a river does at its mouth into an ocean or bay. Debauch (pronounced di-BAWCH or di-BAHCH) means “to seduce,” “to corrupt or to lead away from virtue.” Debouch is a very low frequency word, and there is little likelihood of its being confused with the much more frequently encountered debauch.
