Collide Meaning
/kəˈlaɪd/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo impact directly, especially if violent.
verbTo come into conflict, or be incompatible.
Sentence Examples
The views of the two politicians collide violently.
Egoists do not meet, they collide with each other.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The two cars will ____ at the intersection if they don't stop.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
If you drive too carelessly, your car might ____ with another vehicle.
Word Origin & History
From Latin collīdō (“to clash, strike, dash, beat, or press together”), from con- (“together”) + laedō (“to strike, collide, hurt”) (whence col- (“assimilated form of com-”)).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Across this space the attraction urges them. They collide, they recoil, they oscillate."
— 1865, John Tyndall, The Constitution of the Universe, published 1869, page 14:
"No longer rocking and swaying, but clashing and colliding."
— 1837, Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution: A History […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, (please specify the book or page number):
"And this friendly was not without its injury worries, with defender Gary Cahill substituted early on after a nasty, needless push by Dries Mertens that caused him to collide with goalkeeper Joe Hart, an incident that left the Chelsea defender requiring a precautionary X-ray at Wembley."
— 2012 June 2, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Belgium”, in BBC Sport:
"Out of the doubts that fill my mind / I somehow find, you and I collide"
— 2004, “Collide”, in Stop All the World Now, performed by Howie Day:
"I knew when we collided / you're the one I have decided who's one of my kind"
— 2009, “Hey, Soul Sister”, in Save Me, San Francisco, performed by Train:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The two cars will ____ at the intersection if they don't stop.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
If you drive too carelessly, your car might ____ with another vehicle.