crumble Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb fall apart
    collapse; tumble; crumple; break down.
    • the building crumbled after the explosion
    • Negotiations broke down
  2. verb break or fall apart into fragments
    fall apart.
    • The cookies crumbled
    • The Sphinx is crumbling
  3. verb fall into decay or ruin
    dilapidate; decay.
    • The unoccupied house started to decay

WordNet

Crum"ble transitive verb
Etymology
Dim. of crumb, v. t., akin to D. krimelen G. krmeln.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Crumbled present participle & verbal noun Crumbling
Definitions
  1. To break into small pieces; to cause to fall in pieces.
    He with his bare wand can unthread thy joints, And crumble all thy sinews. Milton.
Crum"ble intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To fall into small pieces; to break or part into small fragments; hence, to fall to decay or ruin; to become disintegrated; to perish.
    If the stone is brittle, it will crumble and pass into the form of gravel. Arbuthnot.
    The league deprived of its principal supports must soon crumble to pieces. Prescott.

Webster 1913