Collapse



GRE 蓝宝 TOEFL 考研

解释

GRE 红宝书

• v. 坍塌, 塌陷;指人晕倒
• ［英］ v. 坍塌, 塌陷 ( break into pieces and fall down suddenly) ; 指人晕倒 ( become unconscious because of illness)
• ［记］ col+lapse ( 滑倒) -> 全部滑倒 -> 倒塌

Webster Collegiate

I. verb (collapsed; collapsing)

• Etymology: Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi, from com- + labi to fall, slide — more at sleep
• Date: 1732
• intransitive verb
  • 1. to fall or shrink together abruptly and completely ; fall into a jumbled or flattened mass through the force of external pressure blood vessel that collapsed
  • 2. to break down completely ; disintegrate <his case had collapsed in a mass of legal wreckage — Erle Stanley Gardner
  • 3. to cave or fall in or give way <the bridge collapsed
  • 4. to suddenly lose force, significance, effectiveness, or worth <fears that the currency may collapse
  • 5. to break down in vital energy, stamina, or self-control through exhaustion or disease; especially to fall helpless or unconscious
  • 6. to fold down into a more compact shape chair that collapses
• transitive verb
  • 1. to cause to collapse <buildings collapsed by an earthquake
  • 2. condense <collapse several stories into one
• ? collapsibility noun
• ? collapsible adjective

II. noun

• Date: 1801
• 1.
  • a. a breakdown in vital energy, strength, or stamina
  • b. a state of extreme prostration and physical depression (as from circulatory failure or great loss of body fluids)
  • c. an airless state of all or part of a lung originating spontaneously or induced surgically
• 2. the act or action of collapsing <the cutting of many tent ropes, the collapse of the canvas — Rudyard Kipling
• 3. a sudden failure ; breakdown, ruin
• 4. a sudden loss of force, value, or effect <the collapse of respect for ancient law and custom — L. S. B. Leakey

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