Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[learner1]

Hello,

Are 'collapse' and 'fall down' interchangeabel here? e.g.

'The rain caused the building to sink, later, it fell down/collapsed.'

Thanks.

[cgage2]

They are interchangeable. However. collapse tends more to mean fall under its own weight perhaps in a straight down movement like the World Trade Center on 911. Whereas a tree could almost never collapse. It would fall down (fall over [sideways]).
here is a sad example: this week a number of firefighters were killed in the US. The burning building collapsed on top of them. It did not exactly fall over on them. R.I.P

[learner1]

Hello cgage2,

Thanks to you for your explanation.

Could you please tell me if 'fall down' can be used in the case like the World Trade Center on 911? Or is it more correct to use 'collapse' here?

Thank you very much.

[CP]

I think collapse is the word for what the two WTC towers did, as cgage2 said.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[learner1]

Thank you very much, CP.