| / English Dictionary |
FALL APART
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Become separated into pieces or fragments
Example:
The freshly baked loaf fell apart
Synonyms:
break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "fall apart" is one way to...):
change integrity (change in physical make-up)
Verb group:
break (destroy the integrity of; usually by force; cause to separate into pieces or fragments)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fall apart"):
break open; burst; split (come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure)
puncture (be pierced or punctured)
burst; bust (break open or apart suddenly and forcefully)
smash (break suddenly into pieces, as from a violent blow)
ladder; run (come unraveled or undone as if by snagging)
crack; snap (break suddenly and abruptly, as under tension)
break up; fragment; fragmentise; fragmentize (break or cause to break into pieces)
crush (become injured, broken, or distorted by pressure)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Sense 2
Meaning:
Break or fall apart into fragments
Example:
The Sphinx is crumbling
Synonyms:
crumble; fall apart
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "fall apart" is one way to...):
disintegrate (break into parts or components or lose cohesion or unity)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Sense 3
Meaning:
Go to pieces
Example:
The old chair finally fell apart completely
Synonyms:
break; bust; fall apart; wear; wear out
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "fall apart" is one way to...):
crumble; decay; dilapidate (fall into decay or ruin)
Verb group:
break; bust (ruin completely)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fall apart"):
fray; frazzle (wear away by rubbing)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Sense 4
Meaning:
Lose one's emotional or mental composure
Example:
She fell apart when her only child died
Synonyms:
fall apart; go to pieces
Classified under:
Hypernyms (to "fall apart" is one way to...):
break down; lose it; snap (lose control of one's emotions)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
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