collide
UK[kəˈlaɪd]US[kəˈlaɪd]
v
to crash violently into something or someone
v
to come into conflict or strong disagreement
Etymology
the verb 'collide' entered english in the early 17th century, directly from the latin 'collidere', meaning 'to strike or dash together'. this latin term is itself a compound, formed from the prefix 'com-' (meaning 'together') and the verb 'laedere' (meaning 'to strike, injure, or damage'). the semantic journey is direct and vivid: from the physical act of striking together, the meaning broadened in english to also describe abstract clashes, such as ideas or interests coming into forceful conflict. the word retains a strong sense of forceful, often destructive, impact in both its literal and figurative uses.
Analysis
this word is a simplex loanword from latin and is not productively formed from separable morphemes in modern english.
Examples
the two cars collided at the intersection.
his personal beliefs sometimes collide with his professional duties.
scientists theorize about what happened when the galaxy collided with a smaller neighbor.