an abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion;"the commander"s prostration demoralized his men"
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"
the act of throwing yourself down;"he landed on the bed with a great flop"
a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
Verb:
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"
collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack
fold or close up;"fold up your umbrella" "collapse the music stand"
fall apart;"the building crumbled after the explosion" "Negotiations broke down"
cause to burst;"The ice broke the pipe"
suffer a nervous breakdown
lose significance, effectiveness, or value;"The school system is collapsing" "The stock market collapsed"
中英词源
collapse 倒塌
col-, 强调。-lapse, 滑落。
collapse (v.)
1732, from Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi "fall together," from com- "together" (see com-) + labi "to fall, slip" (see lapse (n.)). The adjective collapsed is attested from c. 1600, from Latin collapsus, and perhaps this suggested a verb. Related: Collapsing.
