ENGLISH
REFERENCE

collapsed

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //kəˈɫæpst// UK //kəlˈæpsd// col·lapsed

v. to fall down suddenly because of being weak, broken, or sick. You can use this for buildings that fall or people who faint.

v. to fall down or give way suddenly; to undergo a complete failure of structural integrity or physical strength. Intransitive — does not take a direct object.


SIMPLE

The old wooden bridge collapsed under the weight of the truck.

CONTEXTUAL

After running the marathon in record time, the athlete collapsed onto the grass from exhaustion.

COMPLEX

The global economy nearly collapsed during the financial crisis, requiring unprecedented intervention from central banks to restore confidence in the banking system.

Synonyms
Usage

The verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object; it is often followed by a prepositional phrase indicating direction or cause.

Pitfall

The storm collapsed the houseThe house collapsed during the stormIn its primary sense of falling down, the verb is intransitive; to describe an external force causing the fall, use 'destroyed' or 'knocked down'.

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