melt down
The phrase "melt down" can describe both a physical process involving heat and a figurative emotional or structural collapse.
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Definition
B2Industrial
(technical)To heat a solid material until it becomes liquid, often for reuse.
Example
- The factory melts down scrap metal to create new products.
B2Emotional
(informal)To experience a severe emotional breakdown or loss of self-control.
Example
- After the stressful meeting, he had a complete melt down.
B2General
To undergo a complete collapse or failure.
Example
- The company's financial situation caused a market melt down.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "melt down":
break downblow a gasketgo to piecesfreak outgo mentalblow uplose one's shitburn downcome undonespaz outfall apartflip outmelt in the mouthburn outflip one's lidhave a fitcrack upgo madblow a fuseflame outblow downgo off the boilboil overchimp outburn upshut downlose one's mindblow apartfreeze upmelting pointmelt someone's butterfall down