Definition

1. Noun:

   • A sudden and complete failure or breakdown: This refers to the failure of a system, structure, or organization, often happening quickly and completely.
   • The act of falling down or giving way: This describes the physical falling in of a structure or object.
   • A sudden loss of strength or consciousness: This refers to a person's physical or mental failure, often resulting in falling down.

2. Verb:

   • To fall down or give way suddenly: This is the physical action of a structure or object breaking and falling inwards.
   • To fail completely and suddenly: This describes the failure of a system, plan, or institution.
   • To lose strength and fall down: This refers to a person or animal falling down due to exhaustion, illness, or shock.
   • To fold something into a compact shape: This means to make an object, like furniture, smaller by folding its parts together.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The collapse of the bridge was caused by the flood. (The falling down of the bridge...)
  • The company faced financial collapse. (The company faced complete financial failure.)
  • He suffered a collapse from heat exhaustion. (He suffered a sudden loss of strength...)

• Verb:

  • The old building collapsed in the earthquake. (The building fell down.)
  • The peace talks collapsed after the attack. (The talks failed completely.)
  • She collapsed in tears when she heard the news. (She fell down, overcome by emotion.)
  • Please collapse the table and put it away. (Please fold the table.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be on the verge/brink of collapse": to be very close to failing completely.
  • The ancient empire was on the brink of collapse.
• "nervous collapse": a severe state of mental and physical exhaustion, often requiring medical attention.
  • The constant stress led to her nervous collapse.

Variants and Related Words

• Collapsible (adj): designed to be folded into a smaller shape.
  • We brought collapsible chairs for the picnic.
• Collapsar (n): in astronomy, a star that has undergone gravitational collapse to form a black hole.

Synonyms

• Noun: downfall, failure, disintegration, ruin, breakdown.
• Verb: fall down, cave in, give way, crumble, fail, break down, fold.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Collapse into: to fall into a particular state, often one of laughter, tears, or sleep, after losing control.
  • After the long journey, he collapsed into bed.

Related Idioms

• "The roof caves/collapses in on someone": used metaphorically to describe a situation where many problems happen to someone at the same time.
  • When he lost his job, it felt like the roof had caved in.

Noun

1. a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
2. the act of throwing yourself down
   • he landed on the bed with a great flop
3. 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
4. an abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion
   • the commander's prostration demoralized his men

Verb

1. lose significance, effectiveness, or value
   • The school system is collapsing
   • The stock market collapsed
2. suffer a nervous breakdown
3. cause to burst
   • The ice broke the pipe
4. fall apart
   • the building crumbled after the explosion
   • Negotiations broke down
5. fold or close up
   • fold up your umbrella
   • collapse the music stand
6. collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack
7. 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