fail

A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).

Adjective

  1. Unsuccessful; inadequate; unacceptable in some way.

Origin

Etymology tree Classical Latin fallere Vulgar Latin *fallīre Old French falirbor. Middle English failen English fail Inherited from Middle English failen, borrowed from Old French falir, from Vulgar Latin *fallire, alteration of Latin fallere (“to deceive, disappoint”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰāl- (“to lie, deceive”) or Proto-Indo-European *(s)gʷʰh₂el- (“to stumble”). Compare Alemannic German fääle (“to lack”), Cimbrian béelan, véelan (“to fail”), veln (“to be absent, missing”), Dutch falen, feilen (“to fail, miss”), German fallieren, fehlen (“to fail, miss, lack”), Danish fejle (“to fail, err”), Swedish fallera (“to fail, break, malfunction”), Spanish fallar (“to fail, miss”).

Forms

more fail most fail faile fayle

Noun Entry 2

  1. A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).
  2. A failing grade in an academic examination.
  3. A failure (something incapable of success).
  4. Poor quality; substandard workmanship.
    • The project was full of fail.

Forms

fails faile fayle

Derived

epic fail fail dyke fail-secure fail-soft failtastic fail whale foster fail made of fail without fail

Noun Entry 3

  1. A piece of turf cut from grassland.

Origin

Unknown. Compare Scottish Gaelic fàl (“hedge”), Scots faill (“turf”). Attested from the 16th century.

Forms

fails feal

Derived

fail and divot

Verb

  1. To be unsuccessful.
    • Throughout my life, I have always failed.
    • If they ſhoulde gyue battayle it was to be doubted, leaſt through treaſon amõgſt themſelues, the armie ſhould be betrayed into the enimies hands, the which would not fayle to execute all kinde of crueltie in the...
    • As the world’s drug habit shows, governments are failing in their quest to monitor every London window-box and Andean hillside for banned plants. But even that Sisyphean task looks easy next to the fight against...
  2. Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
    • The truck failed to start.
  3. To neglect.
    • The report fails to take into account all the mitigating factors.
    • Those who have advocated the closure of the G.C. have so far failed to say by which alternative route this North-to-West traffic could be carried. - 1960 December, B. Perren, “The role of the Great Central—present and...
  4. Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.
    • After running five minutes, the engine failed.
    • We also found that the only emergency egress from the tram was by smashing the front or rear windscreens, and that emergency lighting had failed when the tram overturned. - 2021 December 29, Dominique Louis, “Causal...
  5. To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.
    • I've failed my parents many times growing up.
    • There shall not fail thee a man on the throne. - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Kings 2:4:
    • A poor Irish Widow […] went forth with her three children, bare of all resource, to solicit help from the Charitable Establishments of that City. At this Charitable Establishment and then at that she was refused;...
  6. To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.
    • I failed English last year.
  7. To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.
    • The professor failed me because I did not complete any of the course assignments.
  8. To miss attaining; to lose.
    • though that seat of earthly bliss be failed - 1671, John Milton, “The Fourth Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:
  9. To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence.
    • The crops failed last year.
    • as the waters fail from the sea - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 14:11:
    • Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign. - 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio),...
  10. To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.
    • If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not to be attributed to their size. - 1757, Edmund Burke, A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful:
  11. To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.
    • When earnestly they seek / Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail. - 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert...
  12. To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.
    • A sick man fails.

Forms

fails failing failed no-table-tags glossary fail failest failedst faileth - faile fayle

Synonyms

miscarry founder come to nought come to nothing crash and burn fall flat fall on one's face go downhill go down the toilet go to pot go to the dogs go up in flames go up in smoke die in the ass everything one touches turns to shit go to hell go to shit flunk go bomb bust conk tank

Antonyms

succeed

Related

default fallacy false fault

Derived

failable fail at life failback fail closed fail-deadly failer fail fast failgirl failing that fail of fail open fail out failover fail over failproof fail-safe fail safe failsoft failson fail up fail up the ladder fail upward fail upwards failure