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cave-in

cave-in

9 7.1
A sudden collapse of the ground or a building into the space below
  • noun
  • /ˈkeɪvˌɪn/
translation icon : hundimiento
  • Last week's cave-in at the construction site trapped several workers underneath the debris.
  • mine cave-in
  • tunnel cave-in
  • prevent a cave-in

Examples

Synonyms

sinkhole
vscave-in
18 5.7

A hole in the ground made when the surface collapses, often in limestone areas

is a sudden unexpected collapse of a structure into the space beneath
subsidence
vscave-in
  • Specialized
2 8.5

The sinking of land or a building into the ground

is specifically a sudden giving way into a hollow beneath not gradual sinking

Antonyms

28 3.9

Making something steady so it is less likely to change

22 4.0

Giving praise or rewards to make someone repeat a behavior

How Complete

implosion
14 7.6
cave-in
9 7.1
to collapse
579 3.9
to sag
19 2.8
crack
267 1.0

Surface Forms

cave-in singular
cave-ins plural

Morphology

cave-in = cave in (transparent) = cave + in

The noun directly names the event of a structure caving in, so the meaning follows straightforwardly from the phrasal verb.

Etymology

The word cave-in comes from cave ('hollow place') and in, so it pictures something falling 'into' a hollow. That's why a cave-in means a sudden collapse of the ground, roof, or tunnel into the space below.