collapse n
1. an abrupt failure of function or health
2. a mishap caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in
3. the act of throwing yourself down; "he landed on the bed with a great flop" [syn: flop]
4. a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures) [syn: crash] v
5. 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" [syn: fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder]
6. collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack [syn: break down]
7. fold or close up; "fold up your umbrella"; "collapse the music stand"
8. fall apart; "the building crimbled after the explosion"; "Negociations broke down" [syn: crumble, crumple, tumble, break down]
9. cause to burst; "The ice broke the pipe" [syn: burst]
10. suffer a nervous breakdown [syn: crack up, crack, crock up, break up]
11. lose significance, effectiveness, or value; "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed"

Collapse \Col*lapse"\, v. 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.

See more meaning on Collapse...

• Collapse: Collapse may refer to: Collapse, the action a collapsible or telescoping object does. Collapse (medical) Collapse (structural) structural collapse ...
• Collapse!: Collapse! generally refers to a series of award-winning puzzle games by GameHouse , a software company in Seattle, Washington . ...
• Wave function collapse: In quantum mechanics , wave function collapse (also called collapse of the state vector or reduction of the wave packet) is the phenomenon ...
• Collapse of the World Trade Center: The twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001, as a result of al-Qaeda 's September 11 attacks in which ...
• Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed: Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (also titled Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive) is a 2005 book by Jared M ...
• Societal collapse: Societal collapse broadly includes both quite abrupt societal failures typified by collapses (such as that of the Mayan Civilization ), as ...

• Despite Game 5 Collapse, Sixers Should Still Take Series Versus Boston - Bleacherreport.com
  The Philadelphia 76ers were in firm command of Game 5, leading 50-47 at half. They had the Celtics right where they wanted them, led by a vintage effort from Elton Brand who finished with 19 points. However, something happened in the third quarter, the ... Read more on this news related to 'Collapse'
• A Greece euro exit could make Lehman's collapse 'look like a tea party' - CNN
  Editor's note: Richard Quest is CNN's foremost international business correspondent and presenter of Quest Means Business, which airs 1800 GMT weekdays. Follow him on Twitter. London (CNN)-- The wheels are coming off the wagon. The fat lady is ... Read more on this news related to 'Collapse'
• Crane collapse rigger won't get license back - New York Post
  "Wild Bill's" crane rigging days are over. A Manhattan judge has nixed a bid by William Rapetti - the rigger who worked on a construction crane that collapsed and killed seven people - to get his licenses back. In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court ... Read more on this news related to 'Collapse'