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   collapse

   /kəˈlaps/

   verb

   • 1. (of a structure) suddenly fall down or give way: "the roof collapsed on top of me" Similar cave infall insubsidefall downsagslumpsettlegivegive waycrumblecrumpledisintegratefall to piecescome apartOpposite hold up
   • ▪ cause (something) to fall down or give way: "it feels as if the slightest pressure would collapse it"
   • ▪ (of a lung or blood vessel) become flat and empty with the walls fallen inwards: "she was so dehydrated that her veins had collapsed"
   • ▪ cause (a lung or blood vessel) to collapse: "he had an operation to collapse his lung"
   • 2. (of a person) fall down and become unconscious as a result of illness or injury: "he collapsed from loss of blood" Similar faintpass outblack outlose consciousnessfall unconsciouskeel overinformal:flake outconk outgo outliterary:swoon
   • ▪ sit or lie down as a result of exhaustion or amusement: "exhausted, he collapsed on the bed"
   • 3. fail suddenly and completely: "the talks collapsed last week over territorial issues" Similar break downfailfall throughfoldfounderfall flatmiscarrygo wrongcome to nothingcome to griefbe frustratedbe unsuccessfulnot succeeddisintegratecome to a haltendterminateinformal:flopfizzle outflatlineOpposite succeed
   • ▪ (of a price or currency) drop suddenly in value: "the price of oil collapsed"
   • 4. fold or be foldable into a small space: "some cots collapse down to fit into a holdall"
   • ▪ compress a displayed part of (a spreadsheet or other electronic document): "tabulation programs can be used to collapse this list in various ways"

   noun

   • 1. an instance of a structure falling down or giving way: "the collapse of a railway bridge" Similar cave-ingiving waysubsidencecrumblingdisintegration
   • ▪ a sudden failure of an institution or undertaking: "the collapse of a number of prominent banks" Similar breakdownfailuredisintegrationfounderingmiscarriagelack of successhaltendterminationOpposite outcomesuccess
   • ▪ a physical or mental breakdown: "he suffered a collapse from overwork" Similar breakdownattackseizureprostrationnervous breakdownnervous/mental collapsenervous exhaustionnervous tensioncrisispersonal crisispsychological traumainformal:crack-up

   Word Origin early 17th century (as collapsed): from medical Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi, from col- ‘together’ + labi ‘to slip’.

   Scrabble Points: 12

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