Definition of collapse Collapse

/kʌlæˈps/ - [kulatps] - col•lapse

We found 27 definitions of collapse from 6 different sources.

What does collapse mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: collapses
collapse - an abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion; "the commander's prostration demoralized his men"
		prostration
		illness, unwellness, malady, sickness impairment of normal physiological function affecting part or all of an organism
		crack-up, breakdown an analysis into mutually exclusive categories
		shock the violent interaction of individuals or groups entering into combat; "the armies met in the shock of battle"
		heat hyperpyrexia, heatstroke collapse caused by exposure to excessive heat
collapse - 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"
		happening, natural event, occurrent, occurrence an event that happens
		cave in, subsidence the sudden collapse of something into a hollow beneath it
		fiasco, debacle a sudden and violent collapse
collapse - a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
		crash
		happening, natural event, occurrent, occurrence an event that happens
collapse - the act of throwing yourself down; "he landed on the bed with a great flop"
		flop
		descent the act of changing your location in a downward direction
Verb collapses, collapsing, collapsed
collapse - 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"
		fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder
		change undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night"
		implode, go off burst inward; "The bottle imploded"
		abandon, give up stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims; "He abandoned the thought of asking for her hand in marriage"; "Both sides have to give up some claims in these negotiations"
		buckle, crumple fold or collapse; "His knees buckled"
		flop fall suddenly and abruptly
		break weaken or destroy in spirit or body; "His resistance was broken"; "a man broken by the terrible experience of near-death"
		slide down, slump, sink fall heavily or suddenly; decline markedly; "The real estate market fell off"
		collapse, burst lose significance, effectiveness, or value; "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed"
collapse - fold or close up; "fold up your umbrella"; "collapse the music stand"
		fold up, fold, turn up incorporate a food ingredient into a mixture by repeatedly turning it over without stirring or beating; "Fold the egg whites into the batter"
		deflate become deflated or flaccid, as by losing air; "The balloons deflated"
		concertina collapse like a concertina
collapse - cause to burst; "The ice broke the pipe"
		burst
		cave in, fall in, founder, give way, collapse, give, break to take one's place in a military formation or line; "Troops fall in!"
		cave in, fall in, founder, give way, collapse, give, break to take one's place in a military formation or line; "Troops fall in!"
		pop burst open with a sharp, explosive sound; "The balloon popped"; "This popcorn pops quickly in the microwave oven"
collapse - lose significance, effectiveness, or value; "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed"
		weaken become weaker; "The prisoner's resistance weakened after seven days"
collapse - collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack
		break down
		sustain, suffer, have, get admit as valid; "The court sustained the motion"
		drop like flies rapidly collapse, die, or drop out in large numbers; "the contestants dropped like flies when the thermometer hit one hundred degrees"
		fall over, go over fall forward and down; "The old woman went over without a sound"
collapse - suffer a nervous breakdown
		crack up, crack, crock up, break up
		sustain, suffer, have, get admit as valid; "The court sustained the motion"
collapse - fall apart; "the building crumbled after the explosion"; "Negotiations broke down"
		crumble, crumple, tumble, break down
		change integrity change in physical make-up

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Wiktionary

collapse (Noun)
The act of collapsing.
collapse (Noun)
Constant function, one-valued function in automata theory.
collapse (Verb)
To fall down suddenly; to cave in .
collapse (Verb)
To cease to function due to a sudden breakdown.
collapse (Verb)
To fold compactly.
collapse (Verb)
For several batsmen to get out in quick succession.
collapse (Verb)
To cause something to collapse.
collapse (Verb)
To pass out and fall to the floor or ground, as from exhaustion or other illness; to faint.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

collapse (v. i.)
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.
collapse (v. i.)
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.
collapse (n.)
A falling together suddenly, as of the sides of a hollow vessel.
collapse (n.)
A sudden and complete failure; an utter failure of any kind; a breakdown.
collapse (n.)
Extreme depression or sudden failing of all the vital powers, as the result of disease, injury, or nervous disturbance.

OmegaWiki DictionaryOmegaWiki Dictionary Ω

collapse
Unforeseen and destructive fall.

Chambers DictionaryChamber's 20th Century Dictionary 📕

collapse
kol-aps′, n. a falling away or breaking down: any sudden or complete breakdown or prostration.—v.i. to fall together, to contract: to fall or break down: to go to ruin: to lose heart.—adj. Collaps′ible, capable of collapsing. [L. collapsus—col, together, and labi, lapsus, to slide or fall.]