collapse into (something)
1. To physically drop or fall into something. Once Sarah crossed the finish line, she collapsed into her boyfriend's arms. After I got home from a 12-hour day at work, I collapsed into a comfy chair and dozed off. When my kid collapsed into bed at 4:00 in the afternoon, I knew she must not have been feeling well.
2. To abruptly enter a negative state, such as a depression. After I lost my job, I collapsed into a serious depression. Economists have been warning that the country could collapse into another recession if preventative measures are not taken. The company is about to collapse into bankruptcy, thanks to that fool's mismanagement.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
collapse into something
1. Lit. to fall down into something with suddenness, as if out of energy. She was so tired, she collapsed into the chair. Juan collapsed into a chair and fell fast asleep.
2. Fig. [for someone] to fall into a particular kind of despair. The poor man collapsed into a deep depression. Scott collapsed into his own personal brand of grieving.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.