collision
two moving things hitting each other
An event when two or more things that are moving hit each other.
a collision between [thing] and [thing]
- Three people were injured in a collision between a bus and a truck.
- The cyclist swerved at the last second and avoided a collision with the taxi.
- Police are investigating the cause of the head-on collision on the highway.
- The ships changed course too late to prevent a collision.
- The game was delayed after a collision between two players on the field.
- There was a bad collision between two cars.
- The train stopped quickly to avoid a collision.
- No one was hurt in the small collision at the corner.
- The police report described how the collision happened.
- Our car has damage from a collision with a tree.
strong conflict or clash
A serious fight or strong disagreement between people, groups, or ideas.
a collision between [groups/ideas/interests]
- The new policy led to a collision between management and the workers' union.
- There is an inevitable collision of interests between the two companies.
- The film explores the collision between traditional values and modern life.
- The meeting ended in a collision of personalities rather than a useful discussion.
- Her decision put her on a collision with her family’s expectations.
- There was a collision between the two leaders over the plan.
- The project caused a collision of different ideas.
- We want to avoid a collision between our team and theirs.
- The law created a collision between public safety and personal freedom.
- His values are in collision with the company culture.
short, forceful interaction in physics
In physics, a very short and strong meeting between objects that changes how fast or in what direction they move.
a collision between [particle/body] and [particle/body]
- In an elastic collision, the total kinetic energy of the system is conserved.
- The experiment measures the angle after the collision between the two particles.
- Physicists study high-energy collisions inside the particle accelerator.
- The simulation models collisions between gas molecules in a closed container.
- Momentum is always conserved in a closed system during a collision.
- In physics class we learned about elastic and inelastic collision.
- The collision changes the speed of both objects.
- Scientists study collisions of particles in large machines.
- Energy can move from one object to another in a collision.
- A collision only takes a very short time but has a big effect.
simultaneous signals on a network
In computer networks, a problem that happens when two or more devices send data at the same time and the messages hit each other and cannot be read clearly.
a collision on [network/channel]
- The network adapter uses collision detection to know when it can send data.
- If too many devices share the same segment, packet collisions become more frequent.
- Ethernet collisions were common in older hub-based networks.
- The protocol defines how nodes back off after a collision occurs.
- Reducing the size of the collision domain improved performance.
- Old Ethernet networks had many collisions on the cable.
- A collision means two computers send data at the same time.
- After a collision, the devices wait and then try again.
- Too many collisions can make the network very slow.
- The software can show how many collisions happen each day.
- Base: collision
- Plural: collision, collisions
head-on collision
1front parts hit directly
A crash where the front of one moving thing hits the front of another moving thing.
- Two people died in a head-on collision between a car and a lorry.
- The new safety barriers are designed to prevent head-on collisions.
- The driver crossed the center line and caused a head-on collision.
in collision with
1having hit another object
Used to say that one thing has hit another thing.
- The bus was in collision with a truck at the junction.
- Two cyclists were in collision with a parked car.
- No other vehicles were in collision with the train.
on a collision course (with)
1moving toward certain conflict
To be likely to have a serious fight or problem with someone or something soon, because your actions or plans are very different.
- The two companies are on a collision course over control of the market.
- His refusal to compromise put him on a collision course with his boss.
- Current spending levels place the government on a collision course with reality.