cave

A large natural space inside rock or under the ground.

• Bats live in this cave.
• We explored several caves along the coast.
• They sheltered in a cave during the storm.

Similar words: cavern

Common phrases: dark cave, cave entrance, explore a cave

A cool room below ground where wine or cheese is stored.

• The cheese rests in a cool cave.
• Our wine cave holds two hundred bottles.
• They built caves beneath the shop to store cheese.

Similar words: cellar

Common phrases: wine cave, cheese cave, storage cave

A hollow or gap in earth or rock, made naturally or by people.

• Rainwater collected in a shallow cave in the rock.
• The workers dug a small cave in the bank.
• Loose soil filled the caves left by fallen stones.

Similar words: hollow, hole, cavity

Common phrases: small cave, cave in rock, shallow cave

An event in which a roof or ground falls into the space below it.

• A cave blocked the mine entrance.
• The miners escaped before the roof cave.
• Several caves damaged the old tunnels.

Similar words: cave-in, collapse

Common phrases: roof cave, mine cave, sudden cave

To stop resisting pressure and agree to what someone wants.

• I finally caved and said yes.
• Will they cave in to our demands?
• He caved after the children begged for a puppy.

How to use it: cave in to someone/something (The council caved in to public pressure.); cave under pressure (She refused to cave under pressure.)

Similar words: give in, yield, surrender

Opposites: resist

Common phrases: cave in, cave under pressure, cave to demands

To fall inward or down because there is not enough support.

• The roof caved in.
• These walls could cave under the weight.
• Heavy rain caused the tunnel to cave in.

How to use it: cave in (The tunnel began to cave in.)

Similar words: collapse, fall in

Common phrases: cave in, roof cave in, walls cave in

To remove earth or rock from inside or beneath something, leaving a hollow or weakening it.

• The current caved the riverbank.
• Floodwater had caved the earth beneath the wall.
• Strong waves slowly cave the softer rock.

Similar words: hollow out, undermine

Common phrases: cave a bank, cave the earth, cave a levee

To obtain rock in a mine by removing its supports so it falls down.

• Miners cave the deposit by removing its supports.
• The crew caved the ore above the tunnel.
• They will cave this section after clearing the workers.

Common phrases: cave the deposit, cave the ore, cave the rock