collapse
pronunciation
How to pronounce collapse in British English:
UK [kəˈlæps]
How to pronounce collapse in American English:
US [kəˈlæps]
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- Noun:
- an abrupt failure of function or health
- a mishap caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in
- the act of throwing yourself down
- a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
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- Verb:
- break down, literally or metaphorically
- collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack
- fold or close up
- fall apart
- cause to burst
- suffer a nervous breakdown
- lose significance, effectiveness, or value
Word Origin
- 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.
- collapse (n.)
- 1801, from collapse (v.).
Example
- 1. Anything is possible , including regime collapse .
- 2. But adjustment is not collapse .
- 3. At some point it will almost certainly collapse .
- 4. That happened after the collapse of lehman brothers .
- 5. Or would the collapse of the regime be even more dangerous ?