collapse

col·lapse

 (kə-lăps′)

v. col·lapsed, col·laps·ing, col·laps·es

v.intr.

1. To fall down or inward suddenly; cave in.

2. To break down suddenly in strength or health and thereby cease to function: a monarchy that collapsed.

3. To fold compactly: chairs that collapse for storage.

v.tr.

To cause to fold, break down, or fall down or inward.

n.

1. The act of falling down or inward, as from loss of supports.

2. An abrupt failure of function, strength, or health; a breakdown.

3. An abrupt loss of perceived value or of effect: the collapse of popular respect for the integrity of world leaders.

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[Latin collābī, collāps-, to fall together : com-, com- + lābī, to fall.]

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col·laps′i·bil′i·ty n.

col·laps′i·ble adj.

collapse

(kəˈlæps)

vb

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

n

5. the act or instance of suddenly falling down, caving in, or crumbling

6. a sudden failure or breakdown

[C18: from Latin collāpsus, from collābī to fall in ruins, from lābī to fall]

colˈlapsible, colˈlapsable adj

colˌlapsiˈbility, colˌlapsability n

col•lapse

(kəˈlæps)

v. -lapsed, -laps•ing,
n. v.i.

1. to fall or cave in; crumble suddenly.

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

3. to break down; fail utterly: The peace talks have collapsed.

4. to fall unconscious or fall down, as from a heart attack or exhaustion.

5. (of lungs) to come into an airless state.

6. to fall or decline suddenly, as in value.

v.t.

7. to cause to collapse.

n.

8. a falling in, down, or together: trapped by the collapse of a tunnel.

9. a sudden, complete failure; breakdown.

[1725–35; < Latin collāpsus, past participle of collābī to fall, fall in ruins =col- col-¹ + lābī to fall]

col•laps′i•ble, adj.

col•laps`i•bil′i•ty, n.

Collapse

 

See Also: DISINTEGRATION

1. Caved in like a sinkhole —Jonathan Valin
2. Caving in like a mud dam —Kurt Rheinheimer
3. (Periods in one’s life that once seem important until you look back on them) collapsed as flat as packing cartons —Jonathan Penner

   In a short story entited Emotion Recollected in Tranquility, the author tied collapsed packing carton comparison to the collapse of part of one’s life.

4. Collapsed like an elephant pierced by a bullet in some vital spot —Kingsley Amis
5. Collapsed like a rotten tree —Erich Maria Remarque
6. Collapsed like a rump-shot dog —T. Coraghessan Boyle
7. (Half a dozen career daydreams) collapsed like a telescope —Thomas McGuane
8. Collapsed like a wounded soldier in the mud —Z. Vance Wilson
9. Collapsed to the floor like a tent that has had all the guy ropes and poles removed at the same time —Jimmy Sangster
10. Collapsed upon the sea as if his body had telescoped into itself, like a picnic beaker —Joyce Cary
11. (His body) collapsed vertically like a punctured concertina —Frank Ross

    An older, simpler variation by Irving Cobb: “Fold up like a concertina.”

12. (One day would) collapse like a peony —Jilly Cooper
13. Collapse like a sack of meal —Anon

    The sack of meal as a comparison linked to falling, collapsing or toppling has seeded so much use and extension that one can only list some of its in-print appearances: “Went over like a sack of meal” (Frank O’Connor); “Fall heavily, like a sack of meal” (S. J. Perelman); “Went down … like an empty sack” (John M. Synge); “Dropped, like a flour sack falling from a loft” (Gerald Kersh). Most commonly overheard in everyday conversation is “Collapse like an empty paper bag.”

14. Collapse like a snowman in the sun —Anon
15. Collapse like a tent when the pole is kicked out from under it —Loren D. Estleman
16. Collapse … like empty garments —Joyce Cary Collapse like sandcastles against the ocean tide —Anon
17. Collapse like a punctured blister —Mike Sommer
18. Collapse like the cheeks of a starved man —Charles Dickens
19. Collapsing like a cardboard carton thrown on a bonfire —Margaret Atwood
20. Comes apart [no longer able to control laughter] like a slow-ripping seam —Sharon Sheehe Stark
21. Crashed on the leather sofa, going down like a B-52 with a bellyful of shrapnel —Jonathan Kellerman
22. [Souvenirs of a romance] crumble like flowers pressed in dictionaries —Judith Martin
23. Crumble like tinder —Anon
24. (A small white house that was) crumbling at the corners like stale cake left out on a plate —Jonathan Valin
25. Crumbling like one of those dry sponge cakes —Francis King
26. Crumpled like caterpillars on mulberry leaves —James Purdy
27. (She) crumpled like paper crushed in a fist and began to cry —Harold Adams
28. Crumpled up as if he were a paper flower —Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
29. Crumples like a used-up piece of paper —Daphne Merkin
30. [Gulls] downed … like a tumbled kite —John Hall Wheelock
31. (The bird) dropped like an arrow —Leo Tolstoy
32. Dropped like an elephant’s trunk —Eudora Welty
33. Dropped like one hit in the head by a stone from a sling —Eudora Welty
34. Drops like a piece of flotsam —T. Coraghessan Boyle
35. Falling as gently and slowly as a kite —Elizabeth Hardwick
36. Fall over like a frozen board —William H. Gass
37. Fall to the floor like misfired cannon balls —John Updike
38. (She’s welcome to climb with man if she wishes … and) fall with a crash like a trayful of dishes —Amy Lowell
39. Fell as low as a toad —American colloquialism, attributed to Midwest
40. (Accents of peace and pity) fell like dew (upon my heart) —Percy Bysshe Shelley
41. Fell … like insects knocked off by a gardener’s spray —Derek Lambert
42. Fell like one who is seized with sleep —Dante Alighieri
43. Fell slowly forward like a toppling wall —Stephen Crane
44. Fell to her knees like a nun seeking sudden forgiveness —James Crumley
45. Flopped like the ears of a dog —Edgar Allan Poe
46. Folded up like a pocket camera —George Ade
47. Fold up like a cheap camera —Anon
48. [First baseman] goes down slow as a toppling tree —W. P. Kinsella
49. Going under [dying] like shipwrecked sailors —Thomas Keneally
50. (Let life face him with a new demand on his understanding and then watch him) go soggy, like a wet meringue —D. H. Lawrence
51. He dropped like a bullock, he lay like a block —Rudyard Kipling
52. (When I tell him he must go, he suddenly) hits the floor like a toppled statue —Louise Erdrich
53. Hit the floor like an anvil —Joseph Wambaugh
54. (Slumped to the floor and) lay there like a punctured balloon —Myron Brinig

    Some variations on the balloon comparison: “I was going down … like a child’s balloon as it gradually lets out air” (Eugene Ionesco’s play, The Stroller in the Air); “Ripples to the pavement like a deflated balloon” from T. Coraghessan Boyle’s novel, Water Music, Little.

55. Like an emptying tube, after a couple of minutes he collapses —Erich Maria Remarque
56. Over she went … like a little puff of milkweed —Eudora Welty
57. Pitched forward like a felled tree —Oakley Hall
58. (His heaving bulk suddenly) sagged, like a sail bereft of wind —Jan Kubicki
59. [Old man] scrunched like an old gray fetus —Grace Paley
60. Thudded like a bird against the glass wall —Ross Macdonald
61. Topple over like a doll with a round base —Wilfrid Sheed
62. Tumble down like a house of cards —George Du Maurier

    The many twists on tumbling, falling or collapsing cards as comparisons include Robert Browning’s “Fell like piled-up cards” and Edith Wharton’s “Collapsed like a playing card.”

63. Tumbled down like the Tower of Babel —Bernard Malamud
64. Tumbling dumb as a ninepin —Sharon Sheehe Stark
65. We fell to the carpet like leaves circling in a light wind —James Crumley
66. Went down like a ninepin —Edith Wharton

    This still popular simile to describe a sudden fall was probably in use before its appearance in Wharton’s story, The Pelican.

67. Went down like a plumb line —Lawrence Durrell
68. Went down like a pole-axed steer —Donald Seaman
69. Went over [after being hit] like a paper cut-out and lay just as flat as one —Cornell Woolrich

collapse

Past participle: collapsed
Gerund: collapsing

Imperative

collapse

collapse

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	collapse - an abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion; "the commander's prostration demoralized his men" prostration illness, sickness, unwellness, malady - impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism crack-up, breakdown - a mental or physical breakdown shock - (pathology) bodily collapse or near collapse caused by inadequate oxygen delivery to the cells; characterized by reduced cardiac output and rapid heartbeat and circulatory insufficiency and pallor; "loss of blood is an important cause of shock" heat hyperpyrexia, heatstroke - collapse caused by exposure to excessive heat algidity - prostration characterized by cold and clammy skin and low blood pressure
	2.	collapse - a natural event caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in; "the roof is in danger of collapse"; "the collapse of the old star under its own gravity" happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent - an event that happens cave in, subsidence - the sudden collapse of something into a hollow beneath it debacle, fiasco - a sudden and violent collapse implosion - a sudden inward collapse; "the implosion of a light bulb"
	3.	collapse - the act of throwing yourself down; "he landed on the bed with a great flop" flop descent - the act of changing your location in a downward direction
	4.	collapse - a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures) crash happening, natural event, occurrence, occurrent - an event that happens
Verb	1.	collapse - break down, literally or metaphorically; "The wall collapsed"; "The business collapsed"; "The dam broke"; "The roof collapsed"; "The wall gave in"; "The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice" cave in, fall in, give way, founder, give, break change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" implode, go off - burst inward; "The bottle imploded" abandon, give up - stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims; "He abandoned the thought of asking for her hand in marriage"; "Both sides have to give up some claims in these negotiations" buckle, crumple - fold or collapse; "His knees buckled" flop - fall loosely; "He flopped into a chair" break - curl over and fall apart in surf or foam, of waves; "The surf broke" slide down, slump, sink - fall or sink heavily; "He slumped onto the couch"; "My spirits sank" collapse, burst - cause to burst; "The ice broke the pipe"
	2.	collapse - collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack break down drop like flies - rapidly collapse, die, or drop out in large numbers; "the contestants dropped like flies when the thermometer hit one hundred degrees" fall over, go over - fall forward and down; "The old woman went over without a sound" suffer, sustain, have, get - undergo (as of injuries and illnesses); "She suffered a fracture in the accident"; "He had an insulin shock after eating three candy bars"; "She got a bruise on her leg"; "He got his arm broken in the scuffle"
	3.	collapse - fold or close up; "fold up your umbrella"; "collapse the music stand" fold, fold up, turn up - bend or lay so that one part covers the other; "fold up the newspaper"; "turn up your collar" deflate - collapse by releasing contained air or gas; "deflate a balloon" concertina - collapse like a concertina
	4.	collapse - fall apart; "the building crumbled after the explosion"; "Negotiations broke down" crumble, crumple, tumble, break down change integrity - change in physical make-up
	5.	collapse - cause to burst; "The ice broke the pipe" burst pop - cause to burst with a loud, explosive sound; "The child popped the balloon" cave in, collapse, fall in, give way, founder, give, break - break down, literally or metaphorically; "The wall collapsed"; "The business collapsed"; "The dam broke"; "The roof collapsed"; "The wall gave in"; "The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice"
	6.	collapse - suffer a nervous breakdown crack up, crock up, break up, crack suffer, sustain, have, get - undergo (as of injuries and illnesses); "She suffered a fracture in the accident"; "He had an insulin shock after eating three candy bars"; "She got a bruise on her leg"; "He got his arm broken in the scuffle"
	7.	collapse - lose significance, effectiveness, or value; "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed" weaken - become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days"

collapse

verb

1. fall down, fall, give way, subside, cave in, crumple, fall apart at the seams A section of the Bay Bridge had collapsed.

2. fail, fold, founder, break down, fall through, come to nothing, go belly-up (informal) His business empire collapsed under a massive burden of debt.

3. faint, break down, pass out, black out, swoon (literary), crack up (informal), keel over (informal), flake out (informal) It's common to see people in the streets collapsing from hunger.

noun

1. falling down, ruin, falling apart, cave-in, disintegration, subsidence Floods and a collapse of the tunnel roof were a constant risk.

2. failure, slump, breakdown, flop, downfall Their economy is teetering on the edge of collapse.

3. faint, breakdown, blackout, prostration A few days after his collapse he was sitting up in bed.

collapse

verb

1. To fall in:

buckle, cave in, crumple, give, go.

Idiom: give way.

2. To suddenly lose all health or strength:

break (down), cave in, crack, drop, give out, succumb.

Informal: crack up.

Slang: conk out.

Idiom: give way.

3. To give way mentally and emotionally:

break (down), crack, snap.

Informal: crack up, fold.

4. To undergo sudden financial failure:

break, bust, crash, fail, go under.

Informal: fold.

Idioms: go belly up, go bust, go on the rocks, go to the wall.

5. To undergo capture, defeat, or ruin:

fall, go down, go under, surrender, topple.

noun

1. A sudden sharp decline in mental, emotional, or physical health:

breakdown.

Informal: crackup.

2. An abrupt disastrous failure:

breakdown, crash, debacle, smash, smashup, wreck.

3. A disastrous overwhelming defeat or ruin:

downfall, fall, waterloo.

Translations

يَتَهاوى، يَتَكَسَّريَتَوَقَّف، يَفْشَليَسْقُط، يَتَداعىيَنْهاريَنْهارُ

zřítit seztroskotatsložitzhroutit se

kollapsebryde sammenfalde omfalde sammenklappe sammen

zusammenbrechenKollapsscheiterneinstürzenkollabieren

καταρρέωκατάρρευση

fracasarcaídacolapsoderrumbamientoderrumbarse

romahtaasortualuhistua

effondrerplierrenversements’effondrerchute

srušiti se

félbeszakad

falla niîur, mistakastfalla samanfalla saman, hrynjahrynja saman

crollarecrollofallimentopieghevoleandare in fallimento

崩れる

무너지다

kristisugriūtisuirtisulankstomassulankstyti

ciest neveiksmiiebruktiegrūtsaliktsaļimt

instorten

kollapseslå sammen

załamać się

desmoronarruircolapsodesabamentodesabar

коллапсколлапсироватьсвалитьсязавалиться

slabostzrušitevzrušiti se

kollapsa

พังทลาย

çökmekdurmakdüşüp bayılmakkatla makkesilmek

đổ sập

体力不支使瓦解倒塌可折叠或套缩崩溃

collapse

[kəˈlæps]

A. N (Med) → colapso m; [of building, roof, floor] → hundimiento m, desplome m; [of government] → caída f; [of plans, scheme] → fracaso m; (financial) → ruina f; [of civilization, society] → ocaso m (Comm) [of business] → quiebra f; [of prices] → hundimiento m, caída f

B. VI

1. [person] (Med) → sufrir un colapso; (with laughter) → morirse (de risa); [building, roof, floor] → hundirse, desplomarse; [civilization, society] → desaparecer, extinguirse; [government] → caer; [scheme] → fracasar; [business] → quebrar; [prices] → hundirse, bajar repentinamente
the bridge collapsed during the storm → el puente se vino abajo durante la tormenta
the deal collapsed → el negocio fracasó
the company collapsed → la compañía quebró or se hundió

2. (= fold down) → plegarse, doblarse

collapse

[kəˈlæps]

vi

(= fall down) [building] → s'effondrer, s'écrouler

(= fall down) [person] → s'effondrer, s'écrouler
He collapsed → Il s'est effondré.

(= become ill) [person] → s'écrouler

(= fail) [bank, company, economy] → faire faillite

[market] → s'effondrer; [price] → chuter

[hope] → s'effondrer

[government] → s'écrouler

(= break down) [negotiations, talks] → échouer; [marriage] → se solder par un échec

n

[building] → écroulement m, effondrement m

(= sudden illness) [person] → écroulement m

[government, regime] → chute f; [communism] → chute f

[company] → faillite f

[market] → effondrement m; [price] → chute m

[country] (economic, financial) → effondrement m

collapse

vi

(person) → zusammenbrechen; (mentally, = have heart attack also) → einen Kollaps erleiden or haben; his health collapsed → er hatte einen Kollaps; they all collapsed with laughter → sie konnten sich alle vor Lachen nicht mehr halten; she collapsed onto her bed, exhausted → sie plumpste erschöpft aufs Bett

(= fall down, cave in) → zusammenbrechen; (building, wall, roof also) → einstürzen; (lungs) → zusammenfallen, kollabieren

(fig: = fail) → zusammenbrechen; (negotiations) → scheitern; (civilization) → untergehen; (prices) → stürzen, purzeln (inf); (government) → zu Fall kommen, stürzen; (plans) → scheitern, zu Fall kommen; (hopes) → sich zerschlagen; his whole world collapsed about him → eine ganze Welt stürzte über ihm zusammen; their whole society collapsed → ihre ganze Gesellschaftsordnung brach zusammen

(= fold, table, umbrella, bicycle etc) → sich zusammenklappen lassen; (telescope, walking stick) → sich zusammenschieben lassen; (life raft) → sich zusammenlegen or -falten lassen

vt table, umbrella, bicycle etc → zusammenklappen; telescope, walking stick → zusammenschieben; life raft → zusammenlegen or -falten

n

(of person) → Zusammenbruch m; (= nervous breakdown also, heart attack) → Kollaps m

(of object) → Zusammenbruch m; (of building, wall, roof also) → Einsturz m; (of lungs) → Kollaps m

(fig: = failure) → Zusammenbruch m; (of negotiations also) → Scheitern nt; (of civilization) → Untergang m; (of government) → Sturz m; (of hopes) → Zerschlagung f

collapse

[kəˈlæps]

1. n (gen) → crollo; (of government) → caduta; (of plans, scheme, business) → fallimento; (of health) → collasso

2. vi (see n) → crollare, cadere, fallire, avere un collasso (fam) (with laughter) → piegarsi in due dalle risate

collapse

(kəˈlӕps) verb

1. to fall down and break into pieces. The bridge collapsed under the weight of the traffic. inmekaar tuimel يَسْقُط، يَتَداعى срутвам се ruir zřítit se zusammenbrechen styrte sammen; falde sammen; bryde sammen; kollapse καταρρέωderrumbarse kokku varisema در هم شکسته شدن sortua s'écrouler לְהִתמוֹטֵט टूट कर गिर जाना srušiti se, propasti összeomlik runtuh falla saman, hrynja crollare 崩壊する 붕괴되다 sugriūti iebrukt; iegrūt runtuh instorten falle/bryte sammen zawalić się collapse [v] ټوك ټوك كېدل: سقوط كول: له مينځه تلل: په سوړه ننوتل: دزړه درېدل ruir a se prăbuşi обваливаться zrútiť sa zrušiti se srušiti se kollapsa พังทลาย çökmek 倒塌 руйнуватися; обвалюватися نیچے گر ٹکڑے ٹکڑے ہونا sụp đổ 倒塌

2. (of a person) to fall down especially unconscious, because of illness, shock etc. She collapsed with a heart attack. meegee يَنْهار рухвам desmaiar zhroutit se zusammenbrechen falde om; kollapse καταρρέω, πέφτω λιπόθυμος sufrir un colapso kokku vajuma از حال رفتن؛ غش کردن lyyhistyä s'effondrer לְהִתמוֹטֵט अचेत पड़ना iznemoći, doživjeti slom összeesik pingsan hrynja saman avere un collasso 倒れる 쓰러지다 kristi (be sąmonės) saļimt; zaudēt spēkus jatuh pengsan in elkaar zakkenfalle sammen, kollapsepaść د حال نه لرل desmaiar a cădea свалиться zrútiť sa zgruditi se kolabirati kollapsa ล้มป่วย yığılıp kalmak, düşüp bayılmak (人)昏倒 дуже знесилюватися, виснажуватися بے ہوش ہو کر گرنا ngã quỵ xuống 昏倒，体力不支

3. to break down, fail. The talks between the two countries have collapsed. ineenstort يَتَوَقَّف، يَفْشَل провалям се falhar ztroskotat scheitern bryde sammen; kollapse ναυαγώ, αποτυγχάνωfracasar krahhiga lõppema با شکست روبرو شدن؛ بی نتیجه ماندن kariutua s'écrouler לְהִכָּשֵל , לְהִיכָּשֵל नाकाम होना srušiti se, propasti félbeszakad gagal falla niður, mistakast andare in pezzi 失敗する 좌절되다 žlugti ciest neveiksmi gagal mislukkenbryte sammenzałamać się مشړوط falhar a eşua потерпеть крах stroskotať propasti propasti bryta samman ล้มเหลว kesilmek, durmak 破裂 не вдаватися; терпіти крах ناکام ہونا sụp đổ tan tành 破裂

4. to fold up or to (cause to) come to pieces (intentionally). Do these chairs collapse? inmekaarsit يَتَهاوى، يَتَكَسَّر огъвам (се) desmontar složit zusammenklappen klappe sammen; slå sammen διπλώνω, κλείνωplegarse kokku panema, kokku käima تا شدن؛ جمع شدن taittua se plier לְהִתקַפֵּל जानबूझ कर किसी चीज को मोड़ना propasti összecsukható ambruk falla saman ripiegare 折りたためる 젊어지다 su(si)lankstyti, suirti salocīt; salikt kerusi lipat opvouwen, bezwijkenslå sammenskładać جمع شول desdobrar-se a se plia складываться zložiť zložiti se sklopiti se fälla ihop พับได้ katlamak 可以折疊，(無心地造成)瓦解 складатися; розбиратися اندرونی طور پر ٹکڑے ہونا gập lại 可折叠或套缩，使瓦解

colˈlapsible adjective

able to be folded up etc. These chairs are collapsible. opvoubaar مُمْكِن طَيُّه сгъваем desmontável skládací, sklopný zusammenklappbar sammenklappelig; klap- πτυσσόμενοςplegable kokkupandav تا شدنی taitettava pliant מִתקַפֵּל सिमटने वाला sklopljiv, složiv összecsukható bisa dilipat sem hægt er að fella saman pieghevole 折りたたみ式の 접이식 sulankstomas saliekams boleh dilipat opvouwbaarsammenleggbar, klapp-składany كښته راتلونكى desdobrável pliant складной sklápací zložljiv sklopiv hopfällbar ที่พับได้ portatif açılır kapanır 可折疊的 розкладний; розбірний تہ ہو جانے والی کرسی، کھڑکی یا دروازہ gấp gọn 可折叠的

collapse

→ يَنْهارُ zřítit se kollapse zusammenbrechen καταρρέω desmoronarse romahtaa s’effondrer srušiti se crollare 崩れる 무너지다 instorten kollapse załamać się desmaiar, desmoronar свалиться kollapsa พังทลาย çökmek đổ sập 崩溃

col·lapse

n. colapso; postración; desplome;

circulatory ___ → ___ circulatorio;

___ therapy → terapia de ___;

v. sufrir un __.

collapse

n (person) desmayo, caída; (lung, etc.) colapso; vi (person) desmayarse, caerse, desplomarse; (lung, etc.) colapsarse