French Conversation · Level 137
30 words
French word
crouler
Pronunciation
IPA/kʁule/
Meaning
- verbcollapse
Example
Après la tempête, le toit a croulé.
After the storm, the roof collapsed.
More examples
L'équipe a croulé sous la pression.
The team buckled under the pressure.
Core concept
A roof loses its support and drops into a heap, with the same sudden failure applying to a person, task, or organization.
Common phrases
crouler sous le travail
buckle under the workload
crouler sous la pression
buckle under the pressure
Similar words
s'écrouler: To fall down suddenly as its support fails.
accabler: To burden someone with more than they can bear.
écraser: To flatten or crush something through powerful pressure.
submerger: To inundate someone with so much that they cannot cope.
Definition in French
S'effondrer en perdant subitement son appui ou sa solidité, au sens propre pour des structures et au sens figuré pour une personne, une tâche ou une organisation.
Word origin
Crouler comes from Old French croller, while its deeper origin remains uncertain.
Usage tips
- Crouler is intransitive for the collapse itself, while crouler sous expresses being overwhelmed by a load, duty, or pressure.