collapse

Word family  noun collapse adjective collapsible verb collapse

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Illness & disability

col·lapse1 /kəˈlæps/ ●●○ S3 AWL verb  1  STRUCTUREFALLstructure 结构 [intransitive] if a building, wall etc collapses, it falls down suddenly, usually because it is weak or damaged 倒坍；塌下 Uncle Ted’s chair collapsed under his weight. 椅子承受不了特德叔叔的重量，塌架了。 The roof had collapsed long ago. 屋顶早就塌了。► see thesaurus at fall2  ILLNESSUNCONSCIOUSillness/injury 病/伤 [intransitive] to suddenly fall down or become unconscious because you are ill or weak 〔因病或虚弱〕突然倒下[昏倒] He collapsed with a heart attack while he was dancing. 他跳舞时因心脏病突发晕倒了。 Marion’s legs collapsed under her. 玛丽昂恩两腿一软倒了下去。3  FAILfail 失败 [intransitive] if a system, idea, or organization collapses, it suddenly fails or becomes too weak to continue 〔系统、观点、组织〕突然失败，垮掉，崩溃，瓦解 The luxury car market has collapsed. 豪华汽车市场瘫痪了。 I thought that without me the whole project would collapse. 我想没有我的话，整个项目就会失败。4  prices 价格 [intransitive] if prices, levels etc collapse, they suddenly become much lower 〔价格、水平等〕暴跌，大跌 There were fears that property prices would collapse. 人们担心房地产价格会暴跌。5  SITsit/lie 坐/躺 [intransitive] to suddenly sit down, especially because you are very tired or want to relax 〔尤指因精疲力竭或想放松而〕瘫坐 I was so exhausted when I got home, I just collapsed on the sofa. 我到家时已经筋疲力尽，瘫倒在沙发上。6  MAKE something SMALLERFOLDfold STH smaller 把某物折小 [intransitive, transitive] if a piece of furniture or equipment collapses, or if you collapse it, you can fold it so that it becomes smaller 折叠；（将…）套缩起来 → collapsible The legs on our card table collapse so we can store it in the closet. 我们的牌桌桌腿可以折叠，因此可以放进壁橱里。7. MEDICALmedical 医疗的 [intransitive]MI if a lung or a blood vessel collapses, it suddenly becomes flat, so that it no longer has any air or blood in it 〔肺或血管〕突然萎陷→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

collapse• The building was badly damaged in the explosion, and rescue workers are worried that it may collapse.• His courage never faltered, but his health collapsed.• The external guarantees that formerly enabled the Vaudois to survive had largely collapsed.• We got up and ran about 50 yards, and I collapsed.• Come quickly, one of the passengers has collapsed.• Minutes later the second tower collapsed.• When the suit collapsed Aitken was charged with perjury, for which he served a seven-month jail term.• After half a dozen glasses of whisky he collapsed and could not be revived.• Part of the floor collapsed as a result of water damage.• The U.S. auto industry nearly collapsed due to increased foreign competition.• One of the horses collapsed from exhaustion after the race.• She finally took a break and collapsed in a chair.• A battle between the traders and the corporate financiers caused the firm to collapse in early 1984.• Our tent collapsed in the middle of the night.• Milligan collapsed into a chair, sighing deeply.• Please try not to upset or destroy this finely balanced mechanism or the building blocks will collapse like a row of dominoes.• Cohen was hospitalized after he collapsed on the floor and briefly lost consciousness.• Former Mayor Ed Koch collapsed this morning at a health club in midtown Manhattan.• When folded in this way, the map collapses to pocket size.• But his move to Old Trafford collapsed when the club medical revealed a knee problem.• The crest of his life collapsed with the Hotsy shooting.collapse2 ●●○ AWL noun  1  BUSINESS/SYSTEM/IDEA ETCFAILbusiness/system/idea etc 业务/系统/想法等 [singular, uncountable] a sudden failure in the way something works, so that it cannot continue 突然失败；突然瓦解collapse of the collapse of the Soviet Union 苏联的突然解体 the threat of economic collapse 经济瘫痪的威胁 His business was in danger of collapse. 他的公司有倒闭的危险。2  BUILDING/STRUCTURE/FURNITURE ETCbuilding/structure/furniture etc 建筑物/结构/家具等 [uncountable]FALL when something suddenly falls down 突然倒塌 the collapse of an apartment building during the earthquake 地震时一幢公寓楼的倒塌 The ancient abbey was in imminent danger of collapse. 这座古老的修道院摇摇欲坠。3  ILLNESSillness/injury 病/伤 [singular, uncountable]ILLNESS/DISEASE when someone suddenly falls down or becomes unconscious because of an illness or injury 〔因疾病或受伤而导致突然的〕昏倒，昏迷 The president said he was fine after his collapse yesterday. 总统昨天突然昏倒，后来他说没事了。 She suffered a collapse under anaesthetic. 她麻醉后昏迷不醒。4  MONEY/PRICES ETCmoney/prices etc 钱/价格等 [singular]LESS a sudden decrease in the value of something 〔某物价值的〕突然贬值，暴跌 the collapse of the stock market 股票市场的暴跌collapse in a collapse in the value of pensions 养老金实际价值的大幅缩水

Examples from the Corpus

collapse• None is big enough or bold enough to offset the negative effects of the financial collapse.• Gravitational collapse releases energy; and collapse to a single, dimensionless point releases an infinite amount of it.• The second-half collapse was subtle at first but sudden when it finally happened.• This is exactly the sort of collapse that keyed their six straight losses in the last two months of last season.• Buildings must be strengthened to prevent collapse from an earthquake.• Roy is recovering from last week's collapse.• After Stephen's sudden collapse during the meeting, he was rushed to the hospital.• Devoted to public order and financial stability, he presided over and accelerated the collapse of both.• For most of them the railway symbolized dispossession and in some cases the collapse of their traditional economies.• He was sued for his role in the collapse of Southwest Savings and Loan.• The collapse of Spinward has implications for the whole of the human-occupied galaxy.• the collapse of the stock market in 1987in danger of collapse• Without them sizable part of its economy would be in danger of collapse.• If so, the whole edifice so carefully reconstructed by Finnis is in danger of collapse.• Their falsehood puts it in danger of collapse.• Before the car could be moved, rescue workers had to shore up the building, which was in danger of collapse.From Longman Business Dictionarycollapsecol‧lapse1 /kəˈlæps/ verb [intransitive] if a company, organization, or system collapses, it suddenly fails or becomes too weak to continueWe did not want existing company pension schemes to collapse.→ See Verb tablecollapsecollapse2 noun [countable, uncountable] when a company, organization, or system suddenly fails or becomes too weak to continueThe province has become sadly familiar with news of redundancies and company collapses.Origin collapse1 (1700-1800) Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi, from com- ( → COM-) + labi “to fall, slide”

col·lapse1 verbcollapse2 nounChineseSyllable  

Corpus building, collapses, a if Business wall etc

collapse

I

col‧lapse¹ S3 AC /kəˈlæps/ verb1.  STRUCTURE  [intransitive] 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  [intransitive] 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  [intransitive] 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  [intransitive] if prices, levels etc collapse, they suddenly become much lower:
    There were fears that property prices would collapse.
5.  SIT/LIE  [intransitive] 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  [intransitive and transitive] if a piece of furniture or equipment collapses, or if you collapse it, you can fold it so that it becomes smaller ⇨ collapsible:
    The legs on our card table collapse so we can store it in the closet.
7.  MEDICAL  [intransitive] if a lung or a blood vessel collapses, it suddenly becomes flat, so that it no longer has any air or blood in it
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ fall (also fall over, fall down) to suddenly go down onto the floor when standing, walking, or running: She fell on the stairs and broke her ankle. | Children are always falling over.
   ▪ trip on/over something to fall or almost fall when you hit your foot against something: Someone might trip over those toys. | I tripped on a piece of wood.
   ▪ slip to fall or almost fall when you are walking on a wet or very smooth surface: She slipped and hurt her ankle. | I was scared I would slip on the highly polished floor.
   ▪ stumble to almost fall when you put your foot down in an awkward way: He stumbled and almost fell. | One of our porters stumbled on the rough ground.
   ▪ collapse to fall suddenly and heavily to the ground, especially when you become unconscious: One of the runners collapsed halfway through the race.
   ▪ lose your balance to become unsteady so that you start to fall over: She lost her balance on the first step and fell down the stairs. | Have something to hold onto, in case you lose your balance.
   ▪ fall flat on your face to fall forwards so you are lying on your front on the ground: She fell flat on her face getting out of the car.

II

collapse² AC noun1.  BUSINESS/SYSTEM/IDEA ETC  [singular, uncountable] 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  [uncountable] 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, uncountable] 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