- labefaction (n.)
- "process of shaking; downfall, overthrow," 1610s, noun of action from Latin labefactus, past participle of labefacere "to cause to totter, shake," literally and figuratively; also "to overthrow," from labi "to slip, slide, sink, fall; decline, go to ruin" (see lapse (n.)) + facere "to make, do" (see factitious).
Alternative labefactation (from Latin labefactitionem "a shaking, loosening," noun of action from past participle stem of labefacere) is attested from 1775. As a verb, labefact is from 1540s, labefy 1620s, labefactate from 1650s.
