collapsing
UK: kəˈlæpsɪŋ | US: kəˈlæpsɪŋ
vi. 1. falling down or giving way suddenly
vi. 2. failing completely or abruptly
vt. 3. causing something to fall or fail suddenly
The word "collapse" originates from Latin collapsus, the past participle of collabi ("col-" meaning "together" + "labi" meaning "to slip or fall"). The morpheme "col-" (a variant of "com-") implies a collective action, while "lapse" retains its core meaning of slipping or falling. Over time, "collapse" evolved to describe both physical structures giving way (e.g., buildings) and abstract systems failing (e.g., economies). The "-ing" suffix marks the present participle form, indicating ongoing action.
The old bridge is collapsing due to years of neglect.
After running the marathon, he felt like collapsing from exhaustion.
The company’s stock price is collapsing after the scandal.
The negotiations collapsed when neither side would compromise.
She collapsed into laughter after hearing the joke.