collapse

col|lapse¹ S3 [kəˈlæps] v

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1¦(structure)¦

2¦(illness/injury)¦

3¦(fail)¦

4¦(prices)¦

5¦(sit/lie)¦

6¦(fold something smaller)¦

7¦(medical)¦

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[Date: 1700-1800; : Latin; Origin: collapsus, past participle of collabi, from com- ( COM-) + labi 'to fall, slide']

1.) ¦(STRUCTURE)¦

if a building, wall etc collapses, it falls down suddenly, usually because it is weak or damaged

▪ Uncle Ted's chair collapsed under his weight.

▪ The roof had collapsed long ago.

2.) ¦(ILLNESS/INJURY)¦ [I]

to suddenly fall down or become unconscious because you are ill or weak

▪ He collapsed with a heart attack while he was dancing.

▪ Marion's legs collapsed under her.

3.) ¦(FAIL)¦ [I]

if a system, idea, or organization collapses, it suddenly fails or becomes too weak to continue

▪ The luxury car market has collapsed.

▪ I thought that without me the whole project would collapse.

4.) ¦(PRICES)¦ [I]

if prices, levels, etc collapse, they suddenly become much lower

▪ There were fears that property prices would collapse.

5.) ¦(SIT/LIE)¦ [I]

to suddenly sit down, especially because you are very tired or want to relax

▪ I was so exhausted when I got home, I just collapsed on the sofa.

6.) ¦(FOLD SOMETHING SMALLER)¦ [I and T]

if a piece of furniture or equipment collapses, or if you collapse it, you can fold it so that it becomes smaller

▪ The legs on our card table collapse so we can store it in the closet.

7.) ¦(MEDICAL)¦ [I]

if a lung or a ↑blood vessel collapses, it suddenly becomes flat, so that it no longer has any air or blood in it

collapse ²

collapse² [i]n

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1¦(business/system/idea etc)¦

2¦(building/structure/furniture etc)¦

3¦(illness/injury)¦

4¦(money/prices etc)¦

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1.) ¦(BUSINESS/SYSTEM/IDEA ETC)¦ [singular, U]

a sudden failure in the way something works, so that it cannot continue

collapse of

▪ the collapse of the Soviet Union

▪ the threat of economic collapse

▪ His business was in danger of collapse .

2.) ¦(BUILDING/STRUCTURE/FURNITURE ETC)¦[U]

when something suddenly falls down

▪ the collapse of an apartment building during the earthquake

▪ The ancient abbey was in imminent danger of collapse.

3.) ¦(ILLNESS/INJURY)¦ [singular, U]

when someone suddenly falls down or becomes unconscious because of an illness or injury

▪ The president said he was fine after his collapse yesterday.

▪ She suffered a collapse under anaesthetic.

4.) ¦(MONEY/PRICES ETC)¦ [singular]

a sudden decrease in the value of something

▪ the collapse of the stock market

collapse in

▪ a collapse in the value of pensions