collapse
[kə'læps] verb
FALL 倒下
IMPROVER intransitive
■to fall down suddenly because of pressure or having no strength or support （由于压力、无力或缺乏支持而）倒塌，坍塌，崩溃，垮掉•Thousands of buildings collapsed in the earthquake.数以千计的建筑物在地震中倒塌了。 •The chair collapsed under her weight.椅子承受不了她的重量散架了。 •figurative He thought his whole world had collapsed when his wife died.妻子去世后他觉得自己的整个世界都坍塌了。 IMPROVER intransitive
■If someone collapses, they fall down because they are ill or weak （因疾病或虚弱而）倒下，昏倒•He collapsed and died of a heart attack.他心脏病发作，倒地而亡。 intransitive or transitive
■to fold something into a smaller shape, usually so it can be stored, or (especially of furniture) to fold in this way （使）折叠（尤指家俱）•All chairs collapse for easy storage.所有的椅子折叠起来以便存放。
[kə'læps] verb
FAIL 失败
IMPROVER intransitive
■(of people and business) to suddenly be unable to continue or work correctly （人或企业）崩溃，垮掉，失败•Lots of people lost their jobs when the property market collapsed.房地产市场崩溃后，许多人丢了工作。 •Talks between management and unions have collapsed.劳资谈判彻底破裂。 •Share prices collapsed (= became lower suddenly) after news of poor trading.贸易不景气的消息传出后股价暴跌。
[kə'læps] noun
FAILURE 失败
IMPROVER countable or uncountable
■the sudden failure of a system, organization, business, etc. （系统、组织、企业等的）崩溃，瓦解，失败•I don't know what caused the collapse of her marriage.我不知道她婚姻失败的原因是甚么。 •A poor economy has caused the collapse of thousands of small businesses.经济萧条导致数以千计的小型企业破产。 •Negotiations between the two countries are on the brink/verge of collapse (= very soon going to fail).两国的谈判濒临破裂。 •He suffered a mental/nervous collapse after ten years' teaching.执教十年后，他的精神／神经崩溃了。
[kə'læps] noun
FALL 倒下
[S or U]
■when a person or structure becomes too weak to stand and suddenly falls 昏倒，昏迷；（建筑物的）倒塌，坍塌•He was taken to hospital after his collapse on the pitch.他昏倒在球场后被送往医院。 •the collapse of a tower block during the earthquake地震中一座塔楼的倒塌 |