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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary col·lapse \\kə-ˈlaps\\ verb ( col·lapsed ; col·laps·ing) ETYMOLOGY Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi, from com- + labi to fall, slide — more at sleep
DATE 1732
intransitive verb1. to fall or shrink together abruptly and completely : fall into a jumbled or flattened mass through the force of external pressure a blood vessel that collapsed2. to break down completely : disintegrate his case had collapsed in a mass of legal wreckage — Erle Stanley Gardner3. to cave or fall in or give way the bridge collapsed4. to suddenly lose force, significance, effectiveness, or worth fears that the currency may collapse5. to break down in vital energy, stamina, or self-control through exhaustion or disease; especially : to fall helpless or unconscious6. to fold down into a more compact shape a chair that collapsestransitive verb1. to cause to collapse buildings collapsed by an earthquake2. condense collapse several stories into one• col·laps·ibil·i·ty \\-ˌlap-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\\ noun• col·laps·ible \\-ˈlap-sə-bəl\\ adjectivenoun DATE 1801
1. a. a breakdown in vital energy, strength, or stamina b. a state of extreme prostration and physical depression (as from circulatory failure or great loss of body fluids) c. an airless state of all or part of a lung originating spontaneously or induced surgically2. the act or action of collapsing the cutting of many tent ropes, the collapse of the canvas — Rudyard Kipling3. a sudden failure : breakdown , ruin 4. a sudden loss of force, value, or effect the collapse of respect for ancient law and custom — L. S. B. Leakey
collapse
1732, from L. collapsus, pp. of collabi "fall together," from com- "together" + labi "to fall, slip." The pp. collapsed is attested from 1609, from L. collapsus, and this seems to have suggested the verb.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishcollapse
noun 1 building, etc. suddenly falling ADJ. sudden the sudden collapse of the bridge PHRASES be in danger of collapse 2 medical condition ADJ. sudden | mental, nervous, physical VERB + COLLAPSE be close to, be on the point/verge of She was on the verge of nervous collapse. PREP. ~ from his collapse from exhaustion PHRASES a state of collapse He was in a state of mental and physical collapse. 3 sudden/complete failure of sth ADJ. complete, total | general | virtual | sudden | economic, financial the sudden economic collapse of 2001 VERB + COLLAPSE bring about, contribute to, lead to, result in The war has led to the collapse of agriculture in the area. | face, be faced with | be on the brink/point/verge of | prevent PREP. ~ into a collapse into anarchy
Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishcollapse
verb 1 of a building ADV. completely PREP. into Several buildings have collapsed into the sea. | under The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 2 of a sick person ADV. suddenly PREP. against The man collapsed against the wall and slid down it. | from She collapsed suddenly from a heart attack. | with He collapsed with shock. 3 fail ADV. eventually, finally In November the strike finally collapsed. | quickly, rapidly | suddenly | virtually PHRASES to collapse in the face of sth The scheme collapsed in the face of determined opposition. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ collapsecol·lapse / kE5lAps / verbOF BUILDING 建筑物 1. [V] to fall down or fall in suddenly, often after breaking apart (突然)倒塌,坍塌 SYN give way : The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。 OF SICK PERSON 病人 2. [V] to fall down (and usually become unconscious), especially because you are very ill / sick (尤指因病重而)倒下,昏倒,晕倒: He collapsed in the street and died two hours later. 他昏倒在大街上,两小时后便去世了。 RELAX 放松 3. [V] ( informal) to sit or lie down and relax, especially after working hard (尤指工作劳累后)坐下,躺下放松: When I get home I like to collapse on the sofa and listen to music. 回到家时,我喜欢倒在沙发上听音乐。 FAIL 失败 4. [V] to fail suddenly or completely 突然失败；崩溃；瓦解 SYN break down : Talks between management and unions have collapsed. 资方与工会的谈判已告破裂。 All opposition to the plan has collapsed. 所有反对此计划的力量均已消除。 OF PRICES / CURRENCIES 价格；货币 5. [V] to decrease suddenly in amount or value (突然)降价,贬值；暴跌: Share prices collapsed after news of poor trading figures. 在交易数额不佳的消息公布后,股票价格暴跌。 FOLD 摺叠 6. to fold sth into a shape that uses less space; to be able to be folded in this way 摺叠；套缩；可摺叠(或套缩) SYN fold up : ▪ [V] The table collapses for easy storage. 这桌子可摺叠起来方便存放。 ▪ [also VN] MEDICAL 医学 7. [V VN] if a lung or blood vessel collapses or is collapsed, it falls in and becomes flat and empty (肺或血管)萎陷• col·lapsed adj.: collapsed buildings 坍塌的建筑物 a collapsed investment bank 破产的投资银行 a collapsed lung 萎陷的肺 nounFAILURE 失败 1. [C, usually sing., U] a sudden failure of sth, such as an institution, a business or a course of action 突然失败,倒闭,崩溃(如机构、生意或行动的): the collapse of law and order in the area 该地区治安的瘫痪 The peace talks were on the verge of collapse. 和平谈判濒于破裂。 OF BUILDING 建筑物 2. [U] the action of a building suddenly falling (突然的)倒塌,塌陷,垮掉: The walls were strengthened to protect them from collapse. 围墙已加固以防倒塌。 ILLNESS 疾病 3. [U, C, usually sing.] a medical condition when a person suddenly becomes very ill / sick, or when sb falls because they are ill / sick or weak 病倒；(因病或体弱的)昏倒,晕倒: a state of mental / nervous collapse 精神/神经的崩溃状态 She was taken to hospital after her collapse at work. 她在工作时晕倒后被送进了医院。 OF PRICES / CURRENCIES 价格；货币 4. [C, usually sing.] a sudden fall in value 突然降价；突然贬值；暴跌: the collapse of share prices / the dollar / the market 股票价格/美元/市场价格暴跌
collapse noun
⇨ failure
collapse verb
⇨ collapse 1 (the roof collapses) ⇨ collapse 2 (collapse from fatigue) ⇨ close 2 (the market collapses) ⇨ fail 2 (talks collapse) Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged col·lapseI. \kəˈlaps\ verb( -ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi to collapse, from com- + labi to fall, slide — more at sleep intransitive verb1. : to break down completely : fall apart in confused disorganization : crumble into insignificance or nothingness : disintegrate < his case had collapsed in a mass of legal wreckage — Erle Stanley Gardner > < a flimsy banking enterprise which collapsed — R.A.Billington >2. : to fall or shrink together abruptly and completely : fall into a jumbled or flattened mass through the force of external pressure : fall in < the sides of a limp empty boat collapse > < our interest collapses like a pricked balloon — G.M.Trevelyan > < a blood vessel that collapsed >3. : to cave in, fall in, or give way : undergo ruin or destruction by or as if by falling down : become dispersed < its passage ripped away the crown of the arch and immediately the whole bridge collapsed — O.S.Nock > < a magnetic field collapsing >4. : to suddenly lose force, significance, effectiveness, or worth < all his annoyance collapsed in a heap — Hamilton Basso > < collapsing currencies of unstable countries >5. : to break down in vital energy, stamina, or self-control through exhaustion or disease : lose ability to perform accustomed activities : fall helpless or unconscious < a fireman collapsing from the fumes > < several oarsmen collapsing after the hard race > < collapsed into tears >6. : to fold down into a more compact shape : close together < a collapsing opera hat > < a telescope that collapses >transitive verb: to cause to collapse < collapse the movement > < collapsing an infected lung > < the explosion collapsed several buildings > < collapse an opera hat >II. noun( -s) 1. a. : a breakdown in vital energy, strength, or stamina : complete sudden enervation : sudden loss of accustomed abilities < the daughter's mental collapse through mounting frustration — Leslie Rees > b. : a state of extreme prostration and physical depression resulting from circulatory failure, great loss of body fluids, or heart disease and occurring terminally in diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, pneumonia — compare shock c. : an airless state of a lung in whole or in part of spontaneous origin or induced surgically — see atelectasis d. : an abnormal falling together of the walls of an organ < collapse of blood vessels >2. : the action of collapsing : the act or action of drawing together or permitting or causing a falling together < the cutting of many tent ropes, the collapse of the canvas — Rudyard Kipling >3. a. : breakdown : sudden failure : disintegration , ruin , destruction < the speedy disruption and eventual collapse of our entire society — Lewis Mumford > < the panic … with its attendant collapse of grandiose dreams — American Guide Series: Minnesota > b. : sudden loss of force, value, effect, or significance < the collapse of respect for ancient law and custom — L.S.B.Leakey > < to save the pound sterling from collapse — Leon Halden >4. : a defect in wood due to abnormal and irregular shrinkage and resulting in a wrinkled or corrugated appearance of the surface and sometimes also an internal honeycombing 5. : the sum of postbreeding regressive changes in the testes of a seasonal breeding male animal
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