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26984 words
collapses
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14 definitions • 31 examples
1
to
fall
down
suddenly
because of
pressure
or having no
strength
or
support
:
Examples:
Thousands
of
buildings
collapsed
in the
earthquake
.
collapse
under someone's/something's
weight
The
chair
collapsed
under her
weight
.
figurative
He thought his whole world had
collapsed
when his
wife
died
.
2
If someone collapses, they
fall
down because of being
sick
or
weak
:
Examples:
He
collapsed
and
died
of a heart
attack
.
She
felt
her
legs
give way and she
collapsed
to the
floor
.
3
to fold something into a
smaller
shape
,
usually
so it can be
stored
, or (
especially
of
furniture
) to fold in this way:
Examples:
All
chairs
collapse
for easy
storage
.
4
(of people and
business
) to
suddenly
be
unable
to
continue
or work
correctly
:
Examples:
Lots
of people lost their
jobs
when the
property
market
collapsed
.
Talks
between
management
and
unions
have
collapsed
.
Share
prices
collapsed
(=
became
lower
suddenly
) after
news
of
poor
trading
.
5
the
sudden
failure
of a
system
,
organization
,
business
, etc.:
Examples:
collapse
of I don't know what
caused
the
collapse
of her
marriage
.
A
poor
economy
has
caused
the
collapse
of
thousands
of
small
businesses
.
on the
brink
of
collapse
Negotiations
between
the two
countries
are on the
brink
of
collapse
(= very soon going to
fail
).
on the
verge
of
collapse
The
economy
was on the
verge
of
collapse
.
mental
collapse
He
suffered
a
mental
collapse
after
ten
years'
teaching
.
nervous
collapse
She had a
nervous
collapse
and was
unable
to
return
to work.
suffer
a
collapse
After years of
frustration
and
intense
hard work, he
suffered
a
total
collapse
.
6
the
sudden
falling
movement
of a person or
structure
that has
become
too
weak
to stand:
Examples:
He was
taken
to
hospital
after his
collapse
on the
pitch
.
the
collapse
of a
building
during the
earthquake
7
to
fall
down
suddenly
, or to cause to
fall
down:
Examples:
[ I ] A
piece
of the
wall
collapsed
on
top
of him.
8
to be
unable
to
continue
or to stay in
operation
;
fail
:
Examples:
Talks
between
management
and
unions
collapsed
today.
9
an
inability
to
continue
or to stay in
operation
:
Examples:
[
U
] the
collapse
of the
Soviet
empire
10
Collapse
can also
refer
to an
attack
of
extreme
physical
weakness
or unconsciousness in a person:
Examples:
[
U
] Toward the end of the
race
he was
near
collapse
.
11
to
suddenly
fail
or
become
unable
to
continue
:
Examples:
the
system
/
economy
/
government
, etc. collapses Without
computers
the whole
economic
system
would
collapse
.
a
company
/
bank
/
industry
, etc. collapses The
bank
collapsed
after an
alleged
massive
fraud
.
talks
/
negotiations
collapse
12
to
suddenly
fall
to a much
lower
level
:
Examples:
prices
/
shares
collapse
Share
prices
collapsed
after
news
of
poor
trading
.
Construction
jobs
were lost as the
property
market
collapsed
.
13
the
sudden
failure
of a
system
,
organization
,
business
, etc.:
Examples:
A
poor
economy
has
caused
the
collapse
of
thousands
of
small
businesses
.
on the
brink
/
verge
of
collapse
Negotiations
between
the two
companies
are on the
brink
of
collapse
14
a
sudden
fall
to a much
lower
level
:
Examples:
the
collapse
of the
American
real
estate
market
a
price
/
market
collapse
Did
options
accelerate
the
oil
price
collapse
?
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