fall (fɔːl
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: falls, falling, fell, fɛl, fallen, ˈfɔːlən
(mainly intr) - to descend by the force of gravity from a higher to a lower place
- to drop suddenly from an erect position
- to collapse to the ground, esp in pieces
- to become less or lower in number, quality, etc ⇒
prices fell in the summer
- to become lower in pitch
- to extend downwards ⇒
her hair fell to her waist
- to be badly wounded or killed
- to slope in a downward direction
- Christianity to yield to temptation or sin
- to diminish in status, estimation, etc
- to yield to attack ⇒
the city fell under the assault
- to lose power ⇒
the government fell after the riots
- to pass into or take on a specified condition ⇒
to fall asleep
fall in love
- to adopt a despondent expression ⇒
her face fell
- to be averted ⇒
her gaze fell
- to come by chance or presumption ⇒
suspicion fell on the butler
- to occur; take place ⇒
night fell
Easter falls early this year
- (of payments) to be due
- to be directed to a specific point
- back, behind, etc to move in a specified direction
- to occur at a specified place ⇒
the accent falls on the last syllable
- (foll by to) to return (to); be inherited (by) ⇒
the estate falls to the eldest son
- into, under, etc to be classified or included ⇒
the subject falls into two main areas
- to issue forth ⇒
a curse fell from her lips
- (of animals, esp lambs) to be born
- British dialect to become pregnant
- (tr) Australian New Zealand dialect to fell (trees)
- cricket (of a batsman's wicket) to be taken by the bowling side ⇒
the sixth wicket fell for 96
- archaic to begin to do ⇒
fall a-doing
fall to doing
- See fall flat
- See fall foul of
- See fall short
noun
- an act or instance of falling
- something that falls ⇒
a fall of snow
- mainly US autumn
- the distance that something falls ⇒
a hundred-foot fall
- a sudden drop from an upright position
- (often plural)
- a waterfall or cataract
- ((capital when part of a name) ⇒
Niagara Falls
- a downward slope or decline
- a decrease in value, number, etc
- a decline in status or importance
- a moral lapse or failing
- a capture or overthrow ⇒
the fall of the city
- a long false hairpiece; switch
- a piece of loosely hanging material, such as a veil on a hat
- machinery nautical the end of a tackle to which power is applied to hoist it
- nautical one of the lines of a davit for holding, lowering, or raising a boat
pinfall wrestling a scoring move, pinning both shoulders of one's opponent to the floor for a specified period- hunting
- another word for deadfall
- ((as modifier) ⇒
a fall trap
- the birth of an animal
- the animals produced at a single birth
- See take the fall
See also
fall about , fall among , fall apart , fall away , fall back , fall behind , fall down , fall for , fall in , fall off , fall on , fallout , fall over , fall through , fall toWord Origin
Old English feallan ; related to Old Norse falla , Old Saxon, Old High German fallan to fall; see fell²Synonyms
View thesaurus entry=
drop,
plunge,
tumble,
plummet,
trip,
settle,
crash,
collapse,
pitch,
sink,
go down,
come down,
dive,
stumble,
descend,
topple,
subside,
cascade,
trip over,
drop down,
nose-dive,
come a cropper,
keel over,
face-plant,
go head over heels
=
decrease,
drop,
decline,
go down,
flag,
slump,
diminish,
fall off,
dwindle,
lessen,
subside,
ebb,
abate,
depreciate,
become lower
= be overthrown be taken
surrender,
succumb,
yield,
submit,
give way,
capitulate,
be conquered give in or up pass into enemy hands
=
decrease,
drop,
lowering,
decline,
reduction,
slump,
dip,
falling off,
dwindling,
lessening,
diminution,
cut,
=
collapse,
defeat,
surrender,
downfall,
death,
failure,
ruin,
resignation,
destruction,
overthrow,
submission,
capitulation,
Translations
- British English:
fall
A fall is an act of falling.The helmet will protect the head in a fall.fɔːl NOUN The helmet will protect the head in a fall.
- Spanish:
caída
nf
- French:
chute
nf
- German:
Sturz
nm Stürze
- Chinese: 落下 n
- Arabic: سُقُوط n
- Portuguese: queda nf
- Russian: падение nnt
- Croatian: pad nm
- Czech: pád nm
- Danish: fald nnt
- Dutch: val nm
- Finnish: pudotus n
- Greek: πτώση nf
- Italian: caduta nf
- Japanese: 落下 n
- Korean: 추락 n
- Norwegian: fall nnt
- Polish: spadek nm
- Brazilian Portuguese: queda nf
- European Spanish:
caída
nf
- Swedish: fall nnt
- Thai: การหล่นลงมา n
- Turkish: düşüş n
- Vietnamese: sự rơi n
- British English:
fall
If a person or thing falls, they move towards the ground suddenly by accident.He fell off his bike.fɔːl VERB He fell off his bike.
- Spanish:
caer
v
- French:
tomber
vi
- German:
fallen
v
- Chinese: 落下 vi
- Arabic: يَقِعُ vi
- Portuguese: cair vi
- Russian: падать vi
- Croatian: pasti v
- Czech: upadnout vi padat
- Danish: falde v
- Dutch: vallen vi
- Finnish: pudota v
- Greek: πέφτω v
- Italian: cadere v
- Japanese: 落ちる v
- Korean: 추락하다 vi
- Norwegian: falle v
- Polish: spaść vi spadać
- Brazilian Portuguese: cair vi
- European Spanish:
caer
v
- Swedish: ramla vt
- Thai: หล่น vi
- Turkish: düşmek vi
- Vietnamese: ngã v
Usage examples
A fall would explain her head injury, Lirael thought, once again feeling the cut.
, LIRAEL: DAUGHTER OF THE CLAYR (2001)WINNING THE BATTLE Yet, there is now a worry that we may fall at the last fence.
Country Life (2004)The range of products it sells is truly diverse and fall under 18,000 categories.
Irish Times (2002)Then check whether the fall - or rise - has been caused by new information or is simply due to an unjustified buying or selling panic.
Glasgow Herald (2001)One of many women to fall under his spell was Jean Harris, a divorcee with two children.
, THE MEDICAL MYSTERIES E-OMNIBUS (2001)