Collapse
/kəˈlæps/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo fall down or inwards suddenly; to cave in.
/kəˈlæps/
To fall down suddenly
The bridge collapsed after the earthquake.
💡 Simply: When something collapses, it suddenly falls down or breaks apart, like a house of cards.
👶 For kids: To fall down suddenly, like a tower of blocks.
More Examples
She collapsed from fatigue.
How It's Used
"The old building collapsed under the weight of the snow."
"The patient collapsed from exhaustion."
A sudden falling down or breaking apart.
/ˈkælæps/
A sudden falling down
The sudden collapse of the government was unexpected.
💡 Simply: A collapse is when something that was standing up suddenly falls down, like a sandcastle getting washed away.
👶 For kids: Something falling down suddenly, like a tower of blocks.
More Examples
There was a lung collapse following the accident.
How It's Used
"The collapse of the stock market caused widespread panic."
Idioms & expressions
collapse under pressure
To fail or break down because of stress or difficulty.
"The team collapsed under pressure in the final game."
From Middle French *collapser (16th century), from Latin *collapsus, past participle of *collabī, 'to fall together', from com- 'together' + labī 'to fall'.
The word has been used to describe both physical and metaphorical failures since the 16th century.
Memory tip
Imagine a building 'collapsing' like a stack of cards.