'Collapse' definitions:
Definition of 'collapse'
From: WordNet
noun
An abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion; "the commander's prostration demoralized his men" [syn: collapse, prostration]
noun
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"
noun
The act of throwing yourself down; "he landed on the bed with a great flop" [syn: flop, collapse]
noun
A sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures) [syn: crash, collapse]
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" [syn: collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder]
verb
Collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack [syn: break down, collapse]
verb
Fold or close up; "fold up your umbrella"; "collapse the music stand"
verb
Fall apart; "the building crumbled after the explosion"; "Negotiations broke down" [syn: crumble, crumple, tumble, break down, collapse]
verb
Cause to burst; "The ice broke the pipe" [syn: collapse, burst]
verb
verb
Lose significance, effectiveness, or value; "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed"
Definition of 'Collapse'
From: GCIDE
- Collapse \Col*lapse"\, n.
- 1. A falling together suddenly, as of the sides of a hollow vessel. [1913 Webster]
- 2. A sudden and complete failure; an utter failure of any kind; a breakdown. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Med.) Extreme depression or sudden failing of all the vital powers, as the result of disease, injury, or nervous disturbance. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Collapse'
From: GCIDE
- Collapse \Col*lapse"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Collapsed; p. pr. & vb. n. Collapsing] [L. collapsus, p. p. of collabi to collapse; col- + labi to fall, slide. See Lapse.]
- 1. To fall together suddenly, as the sides of a hollow vessel; to close by falling or shrinking together; to have the sides or parts of (a thing) fall in together, or be crushed in together; as, a flue in the boiler of a steam engine sometimes collapses. [1913 Webster]
- A balloon collapses when the gas escapes from it. --Maunder. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To fail suddenly and completely, like something hollow when subject to too much pressure; to undergo a collapse; as, Maximilian's government collapsed soon after the French army left Mexico; many financial projects collapse after attaining some success and importance. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'collapse'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- amiable weakness,
- bankruptcy,
- be brought down,
- be felled,
- be found wanting,
- be ruined,
- be struck down,
- be traumatized,
- beating,
- become insolvent,
- bend,
- blow,
- bouncing check,
- break,
- break down,
- break out,
- break up,
- breakability,
- breakage,
- breakdown,
- breaking up,
- breakup,
- brittleness,
- burn out,
- bust,
- cascade,
- catabasis,
- cataclysm,
- cataract,
- catastrophe,
- catch,
- catch cold,
- cave,
- cave in,
- cave-in,
- changeableness,
- chute,
- circulatory collapse,
- collapse,
- come apart,
- come down,
- come down with,
- come short,
- come to naught,
- come to nothing,
- come unstuck,
- comedown,
- conk out,
- conquering,
- conquest,
- contract,
- crack,
- crack up,
- crack-up,
- crackup,
- crash,
- crippling,
- cropper,
- crumble,
- crumple,
- daintiness,
- damage,
- deathblow,
- debacle,
- deceleration,
- declension,
- declination,
- decline,
- decline and fall,
- decrescendo,
- defeat,
- deflate,
- deflation,
- defluxion,
- delicacy,
- descend,
- descending,
- descension,
- descent,
- destructibility,
- destruction,
- detriment,
- dilapidation,
- diminish,
- diminuendo,
- dip down,
- disablement,
- disappear,
- disappearance,
- disaster,
- disintegrate,
- disintegration,
- disorganization,
- disrepair,
- disruption,
- dissolution,
- dissolve,
- dive,
- down,
- downbend,
- downcome,
- downcurve,
- downfall,
- downflow,
- downgrade,
- downpour,
- downrush,
- downtrend,
- downturn,
- downward trend,
- draining,
- droop,
- drop,
- drop down,
- drop off,
- dropping,
- drubbing,
- dwindling,
- ebb,
- effeminacy,
- encroachment,
- erupt,
- evaporate,
- exhaust,
- exhaustedness,
- exhaustion,
- fade,
- fag,
- fail,
- failure,
- faint,
- fall,
- fall away,
- fall dead,
- fall down,
- fall flat,
- fall in,
- fall off,
- fall short,
- fall stillborn,
- fall through,
- fall to pieces,
- falling,
- fatigue,
- fever,
- fizzle out,
- flag,
- flimsiness,
- fold,
- fold up,
- founder,
- fragility,
- frailty,
- frangibility,
- gasp,
- get,
- get bogged down,
- get hung up,
- get mired,
- get tired,
- give out,
- give way,
- go,
- go bankrupt,
- go broke,
- go down,
- go downhill,
- go into receivership,
- go into shock,
- go soft,
- go to pieces,
- go to pot,
- go to ruin,
- go to smash,
- go under,
- go up,
- gravitate,
- gravitation,
- grow weary,
- harm,
- hiding,
- hit the skids,
- hobbling,
- human frailty,
- hurt,
- hurting,
- impairment,
- implode,
- implosion,
- incapacitation,
- inclination,
- indecisiveness,
- infirmity of will,
- infringement,
- inherent vice,
- injury,
- inroad,
- insolvency,
- insufficient funds,
- irresolution,
- jade,
- keel over,
- kited check,
- lack,
- lag,
- lambasting,
- languish,
- lapse,
- lathering,
- licking,
- lightness,
- lose altitude,
- lose ground,
- loss,
- maiming,
- mastery,
- mayhem,
- mischief,
- moral weakness,
- mutilation,
- nervous breakdown,
- nervous exhaustion,
- nervous prostration,
- neurasthenia,
- nose dive,
- not answer,
- not hack it,
- not make it,
- not make out,
- not measure up,
- not stretch,
- not suffice,
- OD,
- overcoming,
- overdose,
- overdraft,
- overdrawn account,
- overthrow,
- overturn,
- pant,
- parachute,
- pass out,
- peg out,
- peter out,
- pine,
- pitch,
- play out,
- plummet,
- plummeting,
- plunge,
- poop out,
- pounce,
- pour down,
- pratfall,
- precipitate,
- prostration,
- puff,
- puff and blow,
- puncture,
- quietus,
- rain,
- rapids,
- receivership,
- remission,
- retreat,
- ruin,
- ruination,
- ruining,
- ruinousness,
- run a temperature,
- run down,
- run out,
- run short,
- sabotage,
- scathe,
- shatter,
- shipwreck,
- shut down,
- sicken,
- sickening,
- sink,
- sleaziness,
- slightness,
- slowdown,
- slump,
- smash,
- smashup,
- spoiling,
- stoop,
- stop short,
- stumble,
- subdual,
- subduing,
- subjugation,
- subsidence,
- succumb,
- sway,
- swoon,
- swoop,
- tailspin,
- take,
- take ill,
- thrashing,
- tire,
- topple,
- topple down,
- topple over,
- total loss,
- totter,
- trend downward,
- trimming,
- trouncing,
- tumble,
- undoing,
- unsubstantiality,
- vanquishment,
- velleity,
- wane,
- want,
- washout,
- waterfall,
- Waterloo,
- weaken,
- weakening,
- wear away,
- wear thin,
- weary,
- wheeze,
- whipping,
- wilt,
- wispiness,
- womanishness,
- wrack,
- wreck,
- yield