downfall
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down·fall
(doun′fôl′)n.
1.
a. A loss of wealth, rank, reputation, or happiness; ruin.
b. A cause of ruin: I tried dieting, but cake was my downfall.
2. A fall of rain or snow, especially a heavy or unexpected one.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
downfall
(ˈdaʊnˌfɔːl)n
1. a sudden loss of position, health, or reputation
2. (Physical Geography) a fall of rain, snow, etc, esp a sudden heavy one
3. (Hunting) another word for deadfall
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
down•fall
(ˈdaʊnˌfɔl)n.
1. overthrow; ruin.
2. something causing this.
3. a sudden fall of rain or snow.
[1250–1300]
down′fall`en, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Downfall
(See also FAILURE.)
come a cropper To fail badly in any undertaking, particularly after its apparent initial success; to encounter a sudden setback after an auspicious beginning. This figurative meaning derives from the literal come a cropper ‘to fall or be thrown headlong from a horse.’ Although the precise origin of the expression is not known, it may be related to the earlier phrase neck and crop meaning ‘bodily, completely, altogether.’ Both literal and figurative uses of the expression date from the second half of the 1800s.
Custer’s last stand An all-out, noble effort that ends in utter, embarrassing failure. In June of 1876, U.S. General George A. Custer’s troops were annihilated by Sioux warriors under Sitting Bull at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Since then, Custer’s last stand has gained currency as a phrase used in comparisons to emphasize those aspects of a given situation which fit the pattern of an all-out effort negated by total defeat, as established by the historical Custer’s last stand.
hoist with one’s own petard See REVERSAL.
meet one’s Waterloo To suffer a crushing and decisive defeat; to succumb to the pressures of a predicament, tragedy, or other unfavorable situation; to meet one’s match; to get one’s comeuppance. This expression alludes to the Battle of Waterloo (1815) in which Napoleon was decisively vanquished by the Duke of Wellington.
Every man meets his Waterloo at last. (Wendell Phillipps, in a speech, November 1, 1859)
Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1980 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Noun | 1. |  downfall - failure that results in a loss of position or reputationfailure - an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose; "the surprise party was a complete failure" finish - the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict); "booze will be the finish of him"; "it was a fight to the finish" |
| 2. | downfall - the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist) fine spray - precipitation in very small drops hail - precipitation of ice pellets when there are strong rising air currents sleet - partially melted snow (or a mixture of rain and snow) virga - light wispy precipitation that evaporates before it reaches the ground (especially when the lower air is low in humidity) diamond dust, frost mist, frost snow, ice crystal, ice needle, poudrin, snow mist - small crystals of ice atmospheric condition, weather, weather condition, conditions - the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation; "they were hoping for good weather"; "every day we have weather conditions and yesterday was no exception"; "the conditions were too rainy for playing in the snow" | |
| 3. | downfall - a sudden decline in strength or number or importance; "the fall of the House of Hapsburg" weakening - becoming weaker anticlimax - a disappointing decline after a previous rise; "the anticlimax of a brilliant career" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
downfall
noun ruin, fall, destruction, collapse, breakdown, disgrace, overthrow, descent, undoing, comeuppance (slang), comedown His lack of experience led to his downfall.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
downfall
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إنْهِيار، سُقوط
pádzhroucení
ulykkeundergang
hrun
çöküşdüşüşyıkılma
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
downfall
[ˈdaʊnfɔːl] n [person] → chute f, ruine fto be sb's downfall (= cause of failure) → entraîner la ruine de qn
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
down1
(daun) adverb1. towards or in a low or lower position, level or state. He climbed down to the bottom of the ladder.
2. on or to the ground. The little boy fell down and cut his knee.
3. from earlier to later times. The recipe has been handed down in our family for years.
4. from a greater to a smaller size, amount etc. Prices have been going down steadily.
5. towards or in a place thought of as being lower, especially southward or away from a centre. We went down from Glasgow to Bristol.
preposition1. in a lower position on. Their house is halfway down the hill.
2. to a lower position on, by, through or along. Water poured down the drain.
3. along. The teacher's gaze travelled slowly down the line of children.
verb to finish (a drink) very quickly, especially in one gulp. He downed a pint of beer.
ˈdownward adjective leading, moving etc down. a downward curve.
ˈdownward(s) adverb towards a lower position or state. The path led downward (s) towards the sea.
down-and-ˈout noun, adjective (a person) having no money and no means of earning a living. a hostel for down-and-outs.
ˌdown-at-ˈheel adjective shabby, untidy and not well looked after or well-dressed.
ˈdowncast adjective (of a person) depressed; in low spirits. a downcast expression.
ˈdownfall noun a disastrous fall, especially a final failure or ruin. the downfall of our hopes.
ˌdownˈgrade verb to reduce to a lower level, especially of importance. His job was downgraded.
ˌdownˈhearted adjective depressed and in low spirits, especially lacking the inclination to carry on with something. Don't be downhearted! – we may yet win.
ˌdownˈhill adverb1. down a slope. The road goes downhill all the way from our house to yours.
2. towards a worse and worse state. We expected him to die, I suppose, because he's been going steadily downhill for months.
downˈhill racing noun racing downhill on skis.
downˈhill skiing nounˌdown-in-the-ˈmouth adjective
miserable; in low spirits.
down payment a payment in cash, especially to begin the purchase of something for which further payments will be made over a period of time.
ˈdownpour noun a very heavy fall of rain.
ˈdownright adverb plainly; there's no other word for it. I think he was downright rude!
adjectiveHe is a downright nuisance!
ˈdownstairs adjective , ˌdownˈstairsadverb on or towards a lower floor. He walked downstairs; I left my book downstairs; a downstairs flat.
ˌdownˈstream adverb further along a river towards the sea. We found/rowed the boat downstream.
ˌdown-to-ˈearth adjective practical and not concerned with theories, ideals etc. She is a sensible, down-to-earth person.
ˈdowntown adjective (American) the part (of a city) containing the main centres for business and shopping. downtown Manhattan.
ˌdownˈtown adverb (also down town) in or towards this area. to go downtown; I was down town yesterday.
ˈdown-trodden adjective badly treated; treated without respect. a down-trodden wife.
be/go down with to be or become ill with. The children all went down with measles.
down on one's luck having bad luck.
down tools to stop working. When the man was sacked his fellow workers downed tools and walked out.
down with get rid of. Down with the dictator!
get down to to begin working seriously at or on. I must get down to some letters!
suit (someone) down to the ground to suit perfectly. That arrangement will suit me down to the ground.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.