/keuh laps"/ , v. , collapsed, collapsing , n.
v.i.
1. to fall or cave in; crumble suddenly: The roof collapsed and buried the crowd.
2. to be made so that sections or parts can be folded up, as for convenient storage: This bridge table collapses.
3. to break down; come to nothing; fail: Despite all their efforts the peace talks collapsed.
4. to fall unconscious or as if unconscious or physically depleted, as from a stroke, heart attack, disease, or exhaustion.
5. Pathol.
a. to sink into extreme weakness.
b. (of lungs) to come into an airless state.
v.t.
6. to cause to collapse: He collapsed the table easily.
n.
7. a falling in or together: Three miners were trapped by the collapse of the tunnel roof.
8. a sudden, complete failure; breakdown: The bribery scandal brought about the complete collapse of his industrial empire.
[ 1725-35; collapsus (ptp. of collabi to fall, fall in ruins), equiv. to col- COL- 1 + lap-, var. s. of labi to fall + -sus, var. of -tus ptp. ending ]