collide
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to crash together with a violent impact
-
to conflict in attitude, opinion, or desire; clash; disagree
Etymology
Origin of collide
1615–25; < Latin collīdere to strike together, equivalent to col- col- 1 + -līdere, combining form of laedere to strike
Explanation
It could be protons bouncing around in a particle accelerator, two cars failing to stop at an intersection, or the priorities of two people with very different goals. When things crash together, they collide. The verb collide has roots in the Latin word collidere, which comes from col- or “together” and laedere, “to strike or damage," like planes that collide in midair. Collide can also describe ideas that clash, such as expectations that collide with reality or radical views that collide with tradition.
Vocabulary lists containing collide
Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer - Introductory
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Force and Motion (Mechanics) - Introductory
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Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Bob Elder, founder and president of Collide Media Group in Franklin, Tennessee, said grass-roots marketing demands much more time than flooding the market with slick commercials.
From Washington Times • Jul. 26, 2018
These are issues Cummings plans to explore further in a pilot she's working on for HBO based on Maureen Dowd's book "Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide."
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2016
They released their latest studio effort, Collide, this past October.
From Forbes • Jan. 2, 2015
The 23-year-old DJ had two other top five hits in 2011 - Collide with Leona Lewis and Levels, which was later sampled by Flo Rida for his 2012 number one hit Good Feeling.
From BBC • Jul. 21, 2013
Collide, kol-īd′, v.i. to dash together: to clash.—p.adjs.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.