cave-in
Underground structural failure
A cave-in is the collapse of a structure, especially a mine shaft, tunnel, or underground excavation: Three miners were trapped in the cave-in.
The term extends to any sudden structural failure: The cave-in of the old warehouse.
Figuratively, a cave-in is a capitulation under pressure—someone who caves in to demands has experienced a cave-in of resolve.
Gradual ground sinking
- sinkholeUnderground collapse crater
- crumbleFragment gradually
- implosionViolent collapse inward
- debrisScattered broken fragments
rubble · tunnel · shaft · fracture · crack · fissure · erosion · undermine
Vertical excavation for ore
- tunnelEnclosed underground route
- stopeUnderground ore excavation
- aditHorizontal mine opening
- shaftNarrow vertical passage
seam · colliery · coalfield · pithead · underground · timbering · shoring · ventilation
Emotional response to threat
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- claustrophobiaDread of enclosed areas
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
- terrorExtreme, overwhelming fear
panic · trauma · nightmare · phobia · helplessness · overwhelm · breakdown · surrender
Disastrous or sorrowful event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- fatalityDeath from accident
casualties · emergency · rescue · survivors · aftermath · crisis · burial · suffocation
Unable to escape
- buriedPlaced beneath earth
- confinedKept within bounds
- claustrophobiaDread of enclosed areas
- enclosureConfined, bordered space
isolation · suffocation · darkness · survival · communication · tapping · waiting · hope
subsidence
Gradual ground sinking
debris · rubble · tunnel · shaft · fracture · crack · fissure · erosion · undermine · instability
mineshaft
Vertical excavation for ore
shaft · seam · colliery · coalfield · pithead · underground · timbering · shoring · ventilation · canary
fear
Emotional response to threat
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- claustrophobiaDread of enclosed areas
- anxietyPersistent apprehensive distress
terror · panic · trauma · nightmare · phobia · helplessness · overwhelm · breakdown · surrender · capitulation
tragedy
Disastrous or sorrowful event
- catastropheDevastating, large-scale misfortune
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
fatality · casualties · emergency · rescue · survivors · aftermath · crisis · burial · suffocation · crushed
trapped
Unable to escape
- buriedPlaced beneath earth
- confinedKept within bounds
- claustrophobiaDread of enclosed areas
enclosure · isolation · suffocation · darkness · survival · communication · tapping · waiting · hope · desperation
- accidentsaccident, car accident, bike accident, mishap, traffic accident
- collapsecollapse, fall in, give way, crumble, fall apart
- damagebreakage, break, crack, fracture, dent
- downward motionsfall, drop, descend, plunge, sink
- breaksbreak, crack, pause, fracture, shatter
- Coal Miningcoal mines, miners, coal seam, coal miners, underground mines
cave-inreinforcement
Adding support or encouragement
shoring up · stabilization · buttressing · fortification · bracing
cave-inexplosion
Violent burst of energy
blowout · eruption · burst · detonation · blast
cave-inholding firm
Maintaining position resolutely
resistance · holdout · defiance · holding out · intransigence
cave, cavity, excavate, caves, concave, cavern, excavation, caved, excavator