See also: cave-in

English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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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.
    • 1955 June, “Notes and News: Locomotive Notes: London Midland Region”, in Railway Magazine, page 439:
      It was to assist in the filling-in of the tunnel on the disused Patricroft-Clifton Junction line, which was the scene of a disaster in 1953 when part, below some houses in Swinton, caved in.
  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

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Noun

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cave in (plural cave ins)

  1. Misspelling of cave-in.

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