˜yÐÄvlog

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View synonyms for

collapse

[ kuh-laps ]

verb (used without object)

collapsed, collapsing.
  1. to fall or cave in; crumble suddenly:

    The roof collapsed and buried the crowd.

  2. to be made so that sections or parts can be folded up, as for convenient storage:

    This bridge table collapses.

  3. to break down; come to nothing; fail:

    Despite all their efforts the peace talks collapsed.

  4. to fall unconscious or as if unconscious or physically depleted, as from a stroke, heart attack, disease, or exhaustion.
  5. Pathology.
    1. to sink into extreme weakness.
    2. (of lungs) to come into an airless state.


verb (used with object)

collapsed, collapsing.
  1. to cause to collapse:

    He collapsed the table easily.

noun

  1. a falling in or together:

    Three miners were trapped by the collapse of the tunnel roof.

  2. a sudden, complete failure; breakdown:

    The bribery scandal brought about the complete collapse of his industrial empire.

collapse

/ °ìəˈ±ôæ±è²õ /

verb

  1. intr to fall down or cave in suddenly

    the whole building collapsed

  2. intr to fail completely

    his story collapsed on investigation

  3. intr to break down or fall down from lack of strength
  4. to fold (furniture, etc) compactly or (of furniture, etc) to be designed to fold compactly
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or instance of suddenly falling down, caving in, or crumbling
  2. a sudden failure or breakdown
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ³¦´Ç±ôˈ±ô²¹±è²õ¾±²ú±ô±ð, adjective
  • ³¦´Ç±ôËŒ±ô²¹±è²õ¾±Ëˆ²ú¾±±ô¾±³Ù²â, noun
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Other ˜yÐÄvlog Forms

  • ±è°ù±ðc´Ç±ô·±ô²¹±è²õ±ð verb precollapsed precollapsing
  • ³Ü²Ôc´Ç±ô·±ô²¹±è²õ±ð»å adjective
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of collapse1

First recorded in 1725–35; from Latin ³¦´Ç±ô±ôÄå±è²õ³Ü²õ “fallen together,†past participle of ³¦´Ç±ô±ôÄå²úÄ« “to fall down, fall together, fall into ruins,†from col- col- 1 + ±ôÄå²úÄ« “to fall, slide, make a mistakeâ€
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˜yÐÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of collapse1

C18: from Latin ³¦´Ç±ô±ôÄå±è²õ³Ü²õ, from ³¦´Ç±ô±ôÄå²úÄ« to fall in ruins, from ±ôÄå²úÄ« to fall
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

But as the Weimar Republic's economy collapsed, so did the ruling coalition led by the center-left Social Democratic Party.

From

Inside it, the ceiling has a large hole that is dripping water and it looks as if it could collapse at any moment.

From

Canada has come to believe that Trump is actually serious about wanting to annex their country and is intent upon collapsing their economy in order to make that happen.

From

Under the two proposals that collapsed, the city negotiated only with the Angels rather than put the property up for bid and see what developers might offer, with or without a stadium included.

From

You have said that we are now living through the collapse of the “American Third Republic.â€

From

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More About Collapse

What does collapse mean?

Collapse means to break apart suddenly, as in The rickety bridge collapsed into the river. If something collapses, it falls apart or caves in quickly and suddenly. Usually, something collapses because it’s unable to support its own weight.

Collapse can also be used figuratively to mean to fail or break down, as in The party quickly collapsed when two groups started fighting with each other.

Collapse can also mean to fall unconscious or to pass out, as in The marathon runner collapsed due to heat stroke.

Collapse can also be used as a noun in any of these senses, as in She determined that the coins dated back to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

Example: I had to rebuild my house of cards after the wobbly table caused it to collapse.

Where does collapse come from?

The first records of collapse come from around 1725. It comes from the Latin ³¦´Ç±ô±ôÄå²úÄ«, meaning “to fall to ruins.†To collapse is to literally or figuratively fall, usually suddenly.

With any building or man-made structure, a big concern is the structure collapsing. To prevent this, structures are reinforced to be as sturdy as possible. Modern building collapses are usually due to poor construction methods or a lack of building maintenance. Building and bridge collapses are often major tragedies that cause death and extensive damage.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to collapse?

  • precollapse (verb)
  • uncollapsed (adjective)
  • collapsible (adjective)
  • collapsibility (noun)

What are some synonyms for collapse?

What are some words that share a root or word element with collapse?

What are some words that often get used in discussing collapse?

How is collapse used in real life?

Collapse is a common word that means to fall apart or suddenly fail.

Ìý

Ìý

Try using collapse!

Is collapse used correctly in the following sentence?

The company collapsed when it released a popular new toy and became more successful than ever.

More About Collapse

What doesÌýcollapse mean?

Collapse means to break apart suddenly, as in The rickety bridge collapsed into the river. If something collapses, it falls apart or caves in quickly and suddenly. Usually, something collapses because it’s unable to support its own weight.

Collapse can also be used figuratively to mean to fail or break down, as in The party quickly collapsed when two groups started fighting with each other.Ìý

Collapse can also mean to fall unconscious or to pass out, as in The marathon runner collapsed due to heat stroke. Ìý

Collapse can also be used as a noun in any of these senses, as in She determined that the coins dated back to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.Ìý

Example: I had to rebuild my house of cards after the wobbly table caused it to collapse.

Where doesÌýcollapse come from?

The first records of collapse come from around 1725. It comes from the Latin ³¦´Ç±ô±ôÄå²úÄ«, meaning “to fall to ruins.†To collapse is to literally or figuratively fall, usually suddenly.

With any building or man-made structure, a big concern is the structure collapsing. To prevent this, structures are reinforced to be as sturdy as possible. Modern building collapses are usually due to poor construction methods or a lack of building maintenance. Building and bridge collapses are often major tragedies that cause death and extensive damage.

Did you know ... ?​

What are some other forms related to collapse?

  • precollapse (verb)
  • uncollapsed (adjective)
  • collapsible (adjective)
  • collapsibility (noun)

What are some synonyms for collapse?

What are some words that share a root or word element with collapse?Ìý

What are some words that often get used in discussing collapse?

How isÌýcollapse used in real life?

Collapse is a common word that means to fall apart or suddenly fail.

Ìý

Ìý

Try usingÌýcollapse!

Is collapse used correctly in the following sentence?

The company collapsed when it released a popular new toy and became more successful than ever.

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