To collapse means to fall over, cave in, or totally crumple. After finding out that the stock market has collapsed and your investments along with it, you'd probably collapse to the ground and sob uncontrollably.
From the Latin collapsus, meaning “fall together," comes our English collapse, a word that functions as both noun and verb. Empires collapse after revolutions, and your dog will eventually collapse from exhaustion if he keeps chasing his tail in circles. But if a company falls apart after the boss retires, or you have a total breakdown cramming for exams, that's a kind of collapse, too.
1 |
vn |
break down, literally or metaphorically
a natural event caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in
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2 |
vn |
collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack
an abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion
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3 |
vn |
lose significance, effectiveness, or value
a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
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4 |
n |
the act of throwing yourself down
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