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Webster 1913 Edition

Collapse

Col-lapse′

,
Verb.
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
.
A balloon
collapses
when the gas escapes from it.
Maunder.
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
.

Col-lapse′

,
Noun.
1.
A falling together suddenly, as of the sides of a hollow vessel.
2.
A sudden and complete failure; an utter failure of any kind; a breakdown.
[Colloq.]
3.
(Med.)
Extreme depression or sudden failing of all the vital powers, as the result of disease, injury, or nervous disturbance.

Webster 1828 Edition

Collapse

COLLAPSE

,
Verb.
I.
To fall together, as the two sides of a vessel; to close by falling together; as, the fine canals or vessels of the body collapse in old age.

Definition 2024

collapse

collapse

See also: col·lapse

English

Verb

collapse ‎(third-person singular simple present collapses, present participle collapsing, simple past and past participle collapsed)

  1. (intransitive) To break apart and fall down suddenly; to cave in.
    • Maunder
      A balloon collapses when the gas escapes from it.
  2. (intransitive) To cease to function due to a sudden breakdown; to fail suddenly and completely
    Pyramid schemes tend to generate profits for a while and then collapse.
  3. (intransitive) To fold compactly
  4. (cricket) For several batsmen to get out in quick succession
  5. (transitive) To cause something to collapse.
    Hurry up and collapse the tent so we can get moving.
  6. (intransitive) To pass out and fall to the floor or ground, as from exhaustion or other illness; to faint
    The exhausted singer collapsed onstage and had to be taken to the hospital.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

collapse ‎(plural collapses)

  1. The act of collapsing
    • 2012 April 21, Jonathan Jurejko, “Newcastle 3-0 Stoke”, in BBC Sport:
      The top six are assured of continental competition and after making a statement of intent against Stoke, it would take a dramatic collapse for Newcastle to surrender their place.
  2. Constant function, one-valued function (in automata theory) (in particular application causing a reset)

Translations

Anagrams

Latin

Participle

collāpse

  1. vocative masculine singular of collāpsus

Etymology

From Latin collapsus (past participle of collabi)

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -æps

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