The Clue
Breakdown (8 letter answer)
The Answer
COLLAPSE
Tags
Notes
The answer COLLAPSE is so rare that it appears less than once every 2500 puzzles.
Related Clues
Cave in
Fall apart
Come crashing down
Definition
COLLAPSE as a noun:
1. an abrupt failure of function or health
2. a mishap caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in
3. (flop, collapse) = the act of throwing yourself down; "he landed on the bed with a great flop"
4. (crash, collapse) = a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
COLLAPSE as a verb:
1. (collapse, fall in, cave in, give, give way, break, founder) = break down, literally or metaphorically; "The wall collapsed"; "The business collapsed"; "The dam broke"; "The roof collapsed"; "The wall gave in"; "The roof finally gave under the weight of the ice"
2. (break down, collapse) = collapse due to fatigue, an illness, or a sudden attack
3. fold or close up; "fold up your umbrella"; "collapse the music stand"
4. (crumble, crumple, tumble, break down, collapse) = fall apart; "the building crumbled after the explosion"; "Negotiations broke down"
5. (collapse, burst) = cause to burst; "The ice broke the pipe"
6. (crack up, crack, crock up, break up, collapse) = suffer a nervous breakdown
7. lose significance, effectiveness, or value; "The school system is collapsing"; "The stock market collapsed"