collision course
20
3.8
- noun
- /kəˈlɪʒən kɔrs/
:
rumbo de colisión
- Some of these issues could put the government on a collision course with the opposition.
- collision course with Earth
And once that happened, it really set off this collision course between the two parties.
- And once that happened, it really set off this collision course between the two parties.
- Lasers planted, nuclear explosions, something to make sure that if something is ever on a collision course for earth that we can stop it.
- She put herself on a collision course with the thing that she wanted.
- So again, this is like you said it, it's this kind of collision course of incompetencies, disbelief, dishonesty, etcetera.
Examples
-
The sailing raft's speed and the ocean current had combined to steer us on a collision course with the island.
Academic text (2002) -
Human beings and the natural world are on a collision course.
Academic text (2000) -
And once that happened, it really set off this collision course between the two parties.
-
We are on a collision course.
-
We're on a collision course.
-
As a result, civilization, like the Titanic, is on a collision course with disaster.
Blog text (22) -
Issues of privacy, confidentiality, and computer-based patient records are on a collision course.
Academic text (1996) -
(Harry nods) What you don't know is that an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth.
Fiction book (1998) -
The Milky Way and its neighbor, Andromeda (M31), are on a collision course.
Academic text (1995) -
The ambitious plans of the rival companies have put them on a collision course that could lead to a fierce market battle.
Synonyms
7
6.3
Likely to lead to a conflict or failure if nothing changes
Antonyms
How Likely
20
3.8
1
4.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'collision' (a clash) with 'course' (a route or heading), so the sense 'a path or situation likely to lead to a clash or crash' is directly inferable from the constituents. This compositional pattern is a transparent metaphor (route → heading toward) and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the component words should be able to understand it.
Etymology
Collision course comes from ships and planes: when two ships or planes are on a path that will make them crash, a collision means a crash and a course is the path they follow. So we now say two people, teams, or plans are 'on a collision course' when they are likely to clash or cause a big problem.