crock up
Definition
Verb: - To suffer a nervous breakdown; to experience a sudden and severe onset of mental or emotional distress that impairs normal functioning.
Usage
This verb is informal and typically used in British English. It describes the action of succumbing to psychological strain, resulting in a collapse of one's mental health. It is often used in the past tense.
Examples
- Verb:
- After months of immense pressure at work, he finally crocked up and had to take a long leave of absence.
- She was worried she would crock up during the stressful exam period.
Advanced Usage
- "to be crocked up": To be in a state of having suffered a nervous breakdown.
- Ever since the incident, he's been completely crocked up and unable to cope.
Variants and Related Words
- Crock (noun, informal): In British slang, can refer to something that is broken, worn out, or useless. It can also refer to a person who is incapacitated, often by injury.
- That old car is a complete crock.
- He's been a crock since his football injury.
Synonyms
- Break down: To lose control of one's emotions, often resulting in tears or distress.
- Have a breakdown: To experience a collapse in mental health.
- Crack up (informal): To suffer a mental collapse; very similar in meaning and usage to "crock up".
Phrasal Verbs
- Crack up (informal): To suffer a nervous breakdown. This is a more common synonym.
- I think the constant stress is going to make him crack up.
Related Idioms
- To be at the end of one's tether/rope: To be so tired, annoyed, or worried by something that you feel unable to deal with it any more; a state that could precede "cropping up".
- She was at the end of her tether and feared she might crock up.
Verb
-
suffer a nervous breakdown
