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1. Break down, literally or metaphorically
   "The wall collapsed"; "The business collapsed"; "The roof collapsed";
   - fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder
    
2. Fall or become unconscious due to fatigue, illness, or a sudden attack
   - break down
    
3. Fold or close up
   "collapse the music stand"
    
4. Fall apart
   "the building collapsed after the explosion";
   - crumble, crumple, tumble, break down
    
5. Cause to burst
   - burst
    
6. Suffer a nervous breakdown
   - crack up, crack, crock up, break up
    
7. Lose significance, effectiveness, or value
   "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed"

1. An abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion
   "the commander's collapse demoralized his men";
   - prostration
    
2. A natural event caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in
   "the roof is in danger of collapse"; "the collapse of the old star under its own gravity"
    
3. The act of throwing yourself down; collapse; sink
   - flop
    
4. A sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
   - crash

Derived forms: collapsed, collapses, collapsing

Type of: change, change integrity, descent, fold, fold up, get, happening, have, illness, malady, natural event, occurrence, occurrent, sickness, suffer, sustain, turn up, unwellness, weaken

Encyclopedia: Collapse