to fall down suddenly because it is no longer strong or supported
After the heavy snow, the roof collapsed under the weight.
The old bridge began to shake and then collapsed into the river.
to suddenly fall down because you are very ill, tired, or shocked
She collapsed on the pavement after running the marathon.
He suddenly collapsed in the classroom, and the teacher called an ambulance.
a sudden fall or cave-in when something gives way
The collapse of the tunnel trapped the workers.
Engineers studied the bridge’s collapse to find the cause.
to fold or push something so that it becomes smaller or falls flat
He collapsed the stroller before putting it in the car trunk.
After camping, we collapsed the tent and packed it away.
to fail completely or stop working suddenly
The company collapsed after losing its biggest customer.
Talks collapsed when neither side would compromise.
the sudden failure or breakdown of a system, organization, or plan
The sudden collapse of the banking system shocked the country.
Experts warned that the health service was close to collapse.
