cave in

See also: cave-in

English

Alternative forms

Pronunciation
  • Audio (AU)(file)

Verb

cave in (third-person singular simple present caves in, present participle caving in, simple past and past participle caved in)

  1. To collapse inward or downward.
    Synonyms: cave, break, crush, give way, stave, stave in
    The roof caved in under the weight of the snow.
    He caved-in the side of the barrel with a single well-placed kick.
  2. (figurative) To relent; to grant approval against one's initial will.
    Synonyms: cave, assent, give in, give up, relinquish, yield, comply, acquiesce
    After he asked me a few times, I finally caved in and had a slice of cake.
    • 2022 December 14, Christian Wolmar, “Productivity should play no part in pay negotiations”, in RAIL, number 972, page 46:
      Eventually the NUR overplayed its hands with an all-out strike. And when Peter Parker, the then-chairman of BR, who was well regarded among his staff, called their bluff by threatening to close down the entire network, they caved in.

Translations

Noun

cave in (plural cave ins)

  1. Misspelling of cave-in.

Anagrams
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