succumb

 
Pronunciation: /səˈkʌm/

verb

[no object]
  • fail to resist pressure, temptation, or some other negative force: we cannot merely give up and succumb to despair
  • die from the effect of a disease or injury: after a few blows there, the porcupine succumbs

Origin:

late 15th century (in the sense 'bring low, overwhelm'): from Old French succomber or Latin succumbere, from sub- 'under' + a verb related to cubare 'to lie'

Spelling help

Remember that succumb is spelled with a double c; there is a silent b at the end.