cave-in
/ˈkāv-ˌin How to pronounce cave-in (audio)/ (ame, mw)
cave-in — 名詞
1. a sudden inward collapse of a roof, road, wall, or similar surface
坍塌
建物或地面忽然往內陷落
a sudden inward collapse of a roof, road, wall, or similar surface
Rescuers reached the mine two hours after the cave-in trapped twelve workers.
救援人員在那場坍塌困住十二名礦工兩小時後抵達礦坑。
after a cave-in — event noun
A cave-in blocked the mountain road just before the school buses arrived.
就在校車抵達前，一場坍塌堵住了山路。
cave-in + blocked [route]
Dust poured through the tunnel after a cave-in broke the support beams.
坍塌弄斷支撐樑後，灰塵湧進了整條隧道。
The mayor closed the station because the cave-in weakened the old floor.
市長關閉了那座車站，因為那場坍塌削弱了老舊地板。
- collapse
A broader word that can describe many kinds of falling down, not only inward failure.
- subsidence
More technical and often used for land sinking slowly rather than one sudden break.
文法句型
a cave-in
after a cave-in
cave-in + verb
用法筆記
Usually names the collapse event itself, not the hole left behind. It often appears with places such as mines, roads, tunnels, or old buildings and with time phrases like 'after the cave-in'.
2. a hole or low area left after the ground drops into empty space below
塌陷坑
地面陷下後形成的坑洞
a hole or low area left after the ground drops into empty space below
Children were warned to keep away from the cave-in beside the old well.
有人警告孩子們別靠近老井旁的那個塌陷坑。
keep away from the cave-in
Rainwater collected in a deep cave-in at the edge of the field.
田邊那個很深的塌陷坑裡積了雨水。
deep cave-in
Workers marked the cave-in with tape before the repair crew arrived.
維修隊到之前，工人先用膠帶標出那個塌陷坑。
A fresh cave-in formed near the footpath after last night's storm.
昨晚暴風雨過後，步道旁又出現一個新的塌陷坑。
- sinkhole
A more specific word for a deep hole formed when ground gives way.
- depression
Can mean any low area in the ground and is less vivid than 'cave-in'.
- pit
A general word for a hole, without the idea of collapse causing it.
文法句型
a cave-in
deep cave-in
cave-in near/by + place
用法筆記
This sense names the damaged place you can point to on the ground, not the moment of collapse. It often appears with words about depth, size, location, or warning signs around the area.
cave-in — 片語動詞
- cave-inbase form
- cave-ins3rd person singular
- cave-ining-ing form
- cave-inedpast simple
1. if a roof, tunnel, or piece of ground caves in, part of it gives way and falls t
往內塌陷
屋頂或地面向裡陷落
if a roof, tunnel, or piece of ground caves in, part of it gives way and falls toward the middle
Part of the school roof caved in during the night storm.
夜裡暴風雨來時，學校屋頂有一部分往內塌陷。
subject: roof + cave in
The old tunnel caved in after weeks of heavy rain.
連下幾週大雨後，那條老隧道往內塌陷了。
cave in after + cause
When the riverbank caved in, three trees slid into the water.
河岸往內塌陷時，三棵樹滑進了水裡。
Fire crews ran back when the burned ceiling suddenly caved in.
燒過的天花板突然往內塌陷時，消防員趕緊往後跑。
文法句型
[roof/tunnel/ground] + cave in
cave in after + cause
用法筆記
Usually takes a physical structure or piece of ground as the subject. It is intransitive, and speakers often add a cause or time phrase such as 'after heavy rain' or 'during the storm'.
2. to stop resisting and do what others want after repeated pressure or argument
讓步；屈服
在壓力下不再堅持原先立場
to stop resisting and do what others want after repeated pressure or argument
After two hours of arguing, the manager caved in and changed the schedule.
爭了兩個小時後，經理終於讓步，改了班表。
cave in and + verb
Nadia refused the discount at first but caved in to the sales pressure.
Nadia 一開始不肯降價，但最後還是向銷售壓力屈服。
cave in to + pressure
The council finally caved in and reopened the playground gates.
市議會最後讓步，重新打開了遊樂場大門。
Hassan never wanted a dog, but he caved in after the children begged.
Hassan 本來一直不想養狗，但孩子們苦苦央求後他還是讓步了。
- hold firm
Means continue resisting without changing position.
- stand up to
Stresses active resistance against pressure or demands.
文法句型
cave in to + pressure/demands
cave in and + verb
用法筆記
Often takes 'to' before the demand or pressure, or 'and + verb' before the action you finally agree to do. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about people or groups giving up resistance, not structures falling down.