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collapse
[ kuh-laps ]
verb (used without object)
- to fall or cave in; crumble suddenly:
The roof collapsed and buried the crowd.
- to be made so that sections or parts can be folded up, as for convenient storage:
This bridge table collapses.
- to break down; come to nothing; fail:
Despite all their efforts the peace talks collapsed.
- to fall unconscious or as if unconscious or physically depleted, as from a stroke, heart attack, disease, or exhaustion.
- Pathology.
- to sink into extreme weakness.
- (of lungs) to come into an airless state.
verb (used with object)
- to cause to collapse:
He collapsed the table easily.
noun
- a falling in or together:
Three miners were trapped by the collapse of the tunnel roof.
- a sudden, complete failure; breakdown:
The bribery scandal brought about the complete collapse of his industrial empire.
collapse
/ əˈæ /
verb
- intr to fall down or cave in suddenly
the whole building collapsed
- intr to fail completely
his story collapsed on investigation
- intr to break down or fall down from lack of strength
- to fold (furniture, etc) compactly or (of furniture, etc) to be designed to fold compactly
noun
- the act or instance of suddenly falling down, caving in, or crumbling
- a sudden failure or breakdown
Derived Forms
- DZˈ, adjective
- DZˌˈٲ, noun
Other Word Forms
- cDZ· verb precollapsed precollapsing
- ܲcDZ· adjective
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of collapse1
Example Sentences
Israel cut off aid on 2 March and resumed its offensive two weeks later after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire, saying it was putting pressure on Hamas to release its remaining hostages.
That earthquake was felt some 1,000km away in Bangkok, where a building collapsed at a construction site, killing dozens.
She escaped, walking 22 miles across the desert until she found a house around 1 a.m., collapsing at its gate.
That's partly because scientists have only been able to use satellites for a few decades to observe about 10 cases of ice shelves collapsing - hence the desire to look for examples further back in time.
It is not clear how long the truce will hold as several ceasefires have been agreed since 2021, before later collapsing.
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More About Collapse
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 DZī, 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 … ?
are some other forms related to collapse?
- precollapse (verb)
- uncollapsed (adjective)
- collapsible (adjective)
- collapsibility (noun)
are some synonyms for collapse?
are some words that share a root or word element with collapse?
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.
President told me due to the quake a school building collapsed & children lost their lives. I was very pained to hear of this.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)
In the course of about ten minutes the entirety of my weekend plans collapsed.
— John Jannuzzi (@johnjannuzzi)
Great news: Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed on court Dec. 12, is being released from the hospital today. 🙏🏽
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
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
doescollapse 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 doescollapse come from?
The first records of collapse come from around 1725. It comes from the Latin DZī, 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 ... ?
are some other forms related to collapse?
- precollapse (verb)
- uncollapsed (adjective)
- collapsible (adjective)
- collapsibility (noun)
are some synonyms for collapse?
are some words that share a root or word element with collapse?
are some words that often get used in discussing collapse?
How iscollapse used in real life?
Collapse is a common word that means to fall apart or suddenly fail.
President told me due to the quake a school building collapsed & children lost their lives. I was very pained to hear of this.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)
In the course of about ten minutes the entirety of my weekend plans collapsed.
— John Jannuzzi (@johnjannuzzi)
Great news: Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed on court Dec. 12, is being released from the hospital today. 🙏🏽
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Try usingcollapse!
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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