cave in

• cave-in

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

cave in (plural cave ins)

1. The act of something collapsing or caving in.

   We were warned away from the rickety old mine because of the danger of cave-ins.

2. The location where something has caved in.

   We couldn't get past the cave in blocking the tunnel.

3. (idiomatic) The act of relenting.

   It was a cave in, but I let my child have a candy to shut her up.

• (act of collapse): breakage, collapse, rockfall
• (site of a collapse): blockage, collapse, rockfall
• (act of relenting): acquiescence, consent, sellout

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.

   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. (idiomatic) To relent; to grant approval against one's initial will

   After he asked me a few times, I finally caved in and had a slice of cake.

• (to collapse in or down): break, crush, give way, stave, stave in
• (to acquiesce): assent, give in, give up, relinquish, yield; comply; acquiesce

• Ivanec, cevian, incave