collapse Hear it!

collapse Definition

col·lapse (kə laps′)

intransitive verb collapsed -·lapsed′, collapsing -·laps′·ing

  1. to fall down or fall to pieces, as when supports or sides fail to hold; cave in; shrink together suddenly
  2. to break down suddenly; fail; give way the enemy's defense collapsed
    1. to break down or fail suddenly in health or physical strength
    2. to fall down, as from a blow or exhaustion
    3. to fall or drop drastically, as in value or force
  4. to fold or come together compactly

Etymology: < L collapsus, pp. of collabi < com-, together + labi, to fall: see lap

transitive verb

to cause to collapse

noun

the act of collapsing; a falling in or together; failure or breakdown, as in business or health

Related Forms:

collapse Synonyms

collapse

n.

breakdown, downfall, destruction, cave-in; see failure 1, fall 1, illness 1, wreck 1.

collapse Synonyms

collapse

v.

drop, deflate, give way, crumple; see fail 1, faint, fall 1, 2, give 4.

collapse Usage Examples

Object

  • inwards: As it slowly loses the fight it's outer layers start to collapse inwards.

Converse of object

  • precipitate: Trawlers, the strip miners of the sea, often precipitate the collapse of fish stocks from years of over-harvesting.

Adjective modifier

  • catastrophic: It required the Ukrainian authorities to abandon all State controls over the exchange rate, leading to a catastrophic collapse of the currency.
  • circulatory: Anaphylactic shock, however, is a much more serious reaction, which can cause swelling, circulatory collapse and even heart failure.
  • gravitational: I'm already in a state of extreme gravitational collapse!
  • imminent: Faced with the imminent collapse of their marriage, they eventually agree that euthanasia may be the answer to their troubles.
  • sudden: Panic had swept from city to city, and a vague dread of some sudden collapse preyed upon the minds of millions.
  • partial: Whilst the tower survived the dissolution of the house, a storm in 1779 led to its partial collapse.

Modifies a noun

  • doline: Large collapse dolines and marginal poljes are also notable features.

Noun used with modifier

  • batting: They do, however, have a history of batting collapses, and this was one of our more spectacular.

Preposition: of

  • communism: With the collapse of communism, the US foreign policy agenda needed a new enemy.
  • USSR: Twelve years after the collapse of the USSR, young people are starting to question the status quo again.
  • bloc: Following the collapse of the Communist bloc, Peja transformed itself into a motors company.
  • civilization: I don't anticipate a total collapse of civilization as oil runs out.
  • empire: The dramatic collapse of the Soviet empire is only the latest example of this trend.

Preposition: from

  • exhaustion: One of the Delta hunters collapses from heat exhaustion.
collapse Quotes

Agreement reached by the negotiators†usually starts to collapse in the hands of those who implement it, no matter how carefully cleared at the top.

—Shultz, George P(ratt)

Here lies a prince whose intentions were pure, but who had the misfortune to see all his plans collapse.

—Joseph II

Exercise? I get it on the golf course.When I see my friends collapse, I run for the paramedics.

—Skelton, Red (Richard)