meltdown

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   An act or process of melting.

2. 2

   A mass of melted material.

3. 3

   Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word

   Chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: uncontrolled disorder which often has disastrous consequences; (countable) a situation involving this; a crisis.

   • Channel 4 switchboards went into meltdown this week when viewers called to complain about a Brass Eye programme on child sex.
   • Computer engineers were at a loss last night to explain why the Government had been hit by arguably the worst electronic meltdown in the history of Whitehall.
4. ›+ 1 more definitionshow fewer

   1. 4

      (Sudden) loss of control over one's behaviour, emotions, etc.

      (Sudden) loss of control over one's behaviour, emotions, etc.; (countable) an instance of this.

The neighborhood

• neighbormelt down
• neighborChina syndrome