E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Collapse.
The scheme collapsed. Came to nothing. An inflated balloon is said to collapse when the gas has escaped and the sides fall together, or pucker into wrinkles. As a collapsed balloon will not mount, a collapsed scheme will not go off. (Latin, collapsus, collabor, to fall or sink together.)
