What does this mean: Crumpled up?

[riaz]

"........and so did Smith before he crumpled up under gangster bullets in London."

Could you please explain to me, what is meant by crumpled up in the above para.

Thanks

Riaz

[Alan]

Hi Riaz,

Crumple usually means screw up into a small shape as you would a piece of paper that you are throwing away. In your sentence crumpled up means fallen down in a heap.

Alan
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