fail
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
fail
(fāl)v. failed, fail·ing, fails
v.intr.
1. To prove deficient or lacking; perform ineffectively or inadequately: failed to fulfill their promises; failed in their attempt to reach the summit.
2.
a. To be unsuccessful: an experiment that failed.
b. To be unsuccessful in being acted upon: an idea that failed to be accepted by the board.
3. To receive an academic grade below the acceptable minimum.
4. To prove insufficient in quantity or duration; give out: The water supply failed during the drought.
5. To decline, as in strength or effectiveness: The light began to fail.
6. To cease functioning properly: The engine failed.
7. To give way or be made otherwise useless as a result of excessive strain: The rusted girders failed and caused the bridge to collapse.
8. To become bankrupt or insolvent: Their business failed during the last recession.
v.tr.
1. To disappoint or prove undependable to: Our sentries failed us.
2. To abandon; forsake: His strength failed him.
3. To omit to perform (an expected duty, for example): We must not fail our obligation to the earthquake victims.
4. To leave undone; neglect: failed to wash the dishes.
5.
a. To receive an academic grade below the acceptable minimum in (a course, for example): failed algebra twice.
b. To give such a grade of failure to (a student): failed me in algebra.
6. To be detected by (a drug test) as having used a banned substance.
n.
Idiom: 1. A failing grade: The student received a fail on the final paper.
2. Informal Something that does not achieve the desired result; a failure: My first attempt to make flourless cookies was a big fail.
without fail
1. With no chance of failure: Be here at noon without fail.
2. Every single time: "Always we get a good rain on Labor Day, without fail—like clockwork" (Rick Bass). "Whenever he returned to his hut, almost without fail some money was missing from the basket" (Paul Theroux).
[Middle English failen, from Old French faillir, from Vulgar Latin *fallīre, variant of Latin fallere, to deceive.]
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.
fail
(feɪl)vb
1. to be unsuccessful in an attempt (at something or to do something)
2. (intr) to stop operating or working properly: the steering failed suddenly.
3. (Education) to judge or be judged as being below the officially accepted standard required for success in (a course, examination, etc)
4. (tr) to prove disappointing, undependable, or useless to (someone)
5. (tr) to neglect or be unable (to do something)
6. (intr) to prove partly or completely insufficient in quantity, duration, or extent
7. (intr) to weaken; fade away
8. (Commerce) (intr) to go bankrupt or become insolvent
n
9. (Education) a failure to attain the required standard, as in an examination
10. without fail definitely; with certainty
[C13: from Old French faillir, ultimately from Latin fallere to disappoint; probably related to Greek phēlos deceitful]
fail
(fel)n
Scot a turf; sod
[perhaps from Scottish Gaelic fàl]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
fail
(feɪl)v.i.
1. to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved: The experiment failed.
2. to receive less than the passing grade or mark in an examination, class, or course of study.
3. to be or become deficient or lacking; fall short.
4. to lose strength or vigor; become weak.
5. to stop functioning or operating.
6. to dwindle, pass, or die away.
7. to become unable to meet or pay debts or business obligations; become insolvent or bankrupt.
8. (of a building member, structure, machine part, etc.) to break, bend, or be otherwise destroyed or made useless because of an excessive load.
v.t. 9. to be unsuccessful in the performance or completion of: He failed to do his duty.
10. to prove of no use or help to: His friends failed him.
11. to receive less than a passing grade or mark in.
12. to declare (a person) unsuccessful in a test or course of study; give less than a passing grade to.
n. 13. a stockbroker's inability to deliver or receive security within the required time after sale or purchase.
14. Obs. failure as to performance, occurrence, etc.
Idioms: without fail, with certainty; positively.
[1175–1225; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French faillir < Latin fallere to deceive, disappoint]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
fail
Past participle: failed
Gerund: failing
| Imperative |
|---|
| fail |
| fail |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | fail - fail to do something; leave something undone; "She failed to notice that her child was no longer in his crib"; "The secretary failed to call the customer and the company lost the account" lose track - fail to keep informed or aware; "She has so many books, she just lost track and cannot find this volume" strike out - put out or be put out by a strikeout; "Oral struck out three batters to close the inning" default, default on - fail to pay up choke - fail to perform adequately due to tension or agitation; "The team should have won hands down but choked, disappointing the coach and the audience" muff - fail to catch, as of a ball miss - fail to attend an event or activity; "I missed the concert"; "He missed school for a week" |
| 2. |  fail - be unsuccessful; "Where do today's public schools fail?"; "The attempt to rescue the hostages failed miserably"take it on the chin - undergo failure or defeat miss - fail to reach or get to; "She missed her train" overreach - fail by aiming too high or trying too hard bobble, bodge, bollix, bollix up, botch, botch up, bumble, bungle, flub, fluff, foul up, louse up, mess up, mishandle, muck up, ball up, spoil, muff, screw up, fumble, blow - make a mess of, destroy or ruin; "I botched the dinner and we had to eat out"; "the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement" strike out - be unsuccessful in an endeavor; "The candidate struck out with his health care plan" fall - suffer defeat, failure, or ruin; "We must stand or fall"; "fall by the wayside" shipwreck - suffer failure, as in some enterprise bring home the bacon, deliver the goods, succeed, win, come through - attain success or reach a desired goal; "The enterprise succeeded"; "We succeeded in getting tickets to the show"; "she struggled to overcome her handicap and won" | |
| 3. |  fail - disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake; "His sense of smell failed him this time"; "His strength finally failed him"; "His children failed him in the crisis"disappoint, let down - fail to meet the hopes or expectations of; "Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage" | |
| 4. | fail - stop operating or functioning; "The engine finally went"; "The car died on the road"; "The bus we travelled in broke down on the way to town"; "The coffee maker broke"; "The engine failed on the way to town"; "her eyesight went after the accident" change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" break - render inoperable or ineffective; "You broke the alarm clock when you took it apart!" croak, decease, die, drop dead, buy the farm, cash in one's chips, give-up the ghost, kick the bucket, pass away, perish, snuff it, pop off, expire, conk, exit, choke, go, pass - pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life; "She died from cancer"; "The children perished in the fire"; "The patient went peacefully"; "The old guy kicked the bucket at the age of 102" go down, crash - stop operating; "My computer crashed last night"; "The system goes down at least once a week" blow out, burn out, blow - melt, break, or become otherwise unusable; "The lightbulbs blew out"; "The fuse blew" misfire - fail to fire or detonate; "The guns misfired" malfunction, misfunction - fail to function or function improperly; "the coffee maker malfunctioned" | |
| 5. | fail - be unable; "I fail to understand your motives" | |
| 6. | fail - judge unacceptable; "The teacher failed six students" pass judgment, evaluate, judge - form a critical opinion of; "I cannot judge some works of modern art"; "How do you evaluate this grant proposal?" "We shouldn't pass judgment on other people" flunk, flush it, bomb, fail - fail to get a passing grade; "She studied hard but failed nevertheless"; "Did I fail the test?" pass - accept or judge as acceptable; "The teacher passed the student although he was weak" | |
| 7. |  fail - fail to get a passing grade; "She studied hard but failed nevertheless"; "Did I fail the test?"fail - fall short in what is expected; "She failed in her obligations as a good daughter-in-law"; "We must not fail his obligation to the victims of the Holocaust" fail - judge unacceptable; "The teacher failed six students" | |
| 8. | fail - fall short in what is expected; "She failed in her obligations as a good daughter-in-law"; "We must not fail his obligation to the victims of the Holocaust" | |
| 9. | fail - become bankrupt or insolvent; fail financially and close; "The toy company went bankrupt after the competition hired cheap Mexican labor"; "A number of banks failed that year" | |
| 10. | fail - prove insufficient; "The water supply for the town failed after a long drought" | |
| 11. | fail - get worse; "Her health is declining" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
fail
verb
1. be unsuccessful, founder, fall flat, come to nothing, fall, miss, go down, break down, flop (informal), be defeated, fall short, fall through, fall short of, fizzle out (informal), come unstuck, run aground, miscarry, be in vain, misfire, fall by the wayside, go astray, come to grief, come a cropper (informal), bite the dust, go up in smoke, go belly-up (slang), come to naught, lay an egg (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), go by the board, not make the grade (informal), go down like a lead balloon (informal), turn out badly, fall flat on your face, meet with disaster, be found lacking or wanting He was afraid the revolution they had started would fail.
be unsuccessful grow, pass, succeed, triumph, strengthen, thrive, flourish, bloom, prosper, have legs (informal)
be unsuccessful grow, pass, succeed, triumph, strengthen, thrive, flourish, bloom, prosper, have legs (informal)
2. disappoint, abandon, desert, neglect, omit, let down, forsake, turn your back on, be disloyal to, break your word, forget We waited twenty-one years, don't fail us now.
3. stop working, stop, die, give up, break down, cease, stall, cut out, malfunction, conk out (informal), go on the blink (informal), go phut The lights mysteriously failed.
4. wither, perish, sag, droop, waste away, shrivel up In fact many food crops failed because of the drought
5. go bankrupt, crash, collapse, fold (informal), close down, go under, go bust (informal), go out of business, be wound up, go broke (informal), go to the wall, go into receivership, go into liquidation, become insolvent, smash So far this year, 104 banks have failed.
6. decline, fade, weaken, deteriorate, dwindle, sicken, degenerate, fall apart at the seams, be on your last legs (informal) He was 58 and his health was failing rapidly.
7. give out, disappear, fade, dim, dwindle, wane, gutter, languish, peter out, die away, grow dim, sink Here in the hills, the light failed more quickly
8. not pass, be unsuccessful, flunk (informal), screw up (informal), wash out, underperform, not make the grade, not come up to scratch, underachieve, not come up to the mark (informal) I lived in fear of failing my end-of-term exams.
without fail without exception, regularly, constantly, invariably, religiously, unfailingly, conscientiously, like clockwork, punctually, dependably He attended every meeting without fail.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
fail
verb1. To prove deficient or insufficient:
2. To be unsuccessful:
Slang: bomb.
Idioms: fail of success, fall short.
3. To receive less than a passing grade:
Informal: flunk.
5. To lose strength or power:
Informal: fizzle (out).
Idioms: go downhill, hit the skids.
6. To cease functioning properly:
Slang: conk out.
8. To undergo sudden financial failure:
Informal: fold.
The 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
أخفقيُخَيِّب ، يَخْذُليَضعُف، يَهِنيَفْشَليَفْشَلُ
selhatneuspětpřestatpropadnoutselhávat
dumpefejlemislykkesslå fejlsvigte
edutunurjumaseiskuma
epäonnistua
ne uspjeti
megbuktatnem sikerül
bilabregîastfellamistakast; falla
失敗する矢敗する
실패하다
desum
ko nors nepadarymasko nors nepadarytineabejotinainepavykus gautinesant
bremzes nenostrādājaciest neveiksmiizgāztizkristneizdoties
nechať prepadnúť
ne uspetispodleteti
misslyckas
ล้มเหลว
thất bại
fail
[feɪl]A. VI
1. (= not succeed) [candidate in examination] → suspender; [plan] → fracasar, no dar resultado; [show, play] → fracasar; [business] → quebrar; [remedy] → fallar, no surtir efecto; [hopes] → frustrarse, malograrse
to fail by five votes → perder por cinco votos
to fail in one's duty → faltar a su deber, no cumplir con su obligación
to fail by five votes → perder por cinco votos
to fail in one's duty → faltar a su deber, no cumplir con su obligación
B. VT
1. [+ exam, subject] → suspender; [+ candidate] → suspender (a)
a failed painter → un pintor fracasado
a failed painter → un pintor fracasado
2. (= let down) [+ person] → fallar (a); [memory, strength] → fallar
don't fail me! → ¡no me falles!, ¡no faltes!
his strength failed him → le fallaron las fuerzas
his heart failed him → se encontró sin ánimo
his courage failed him → le faltó valor
words fail me! → ¡no encuentro palabras!
don't fail me! → ¡no me falles!, ¡no faltes!
his strength failed him → le fallaron las fuerzas
his heart failed him → se encontró sin ánimo
his courage failed him → le faltó valor
words fail me! → ¡no encuentro palabras!
3. (= not succeed) to fail to be elected → no lograr ser elegido
to fail to win a prize → no obtener un premio
to fail to win a prize → no obtener un premio
4. (= omit, neglect) to fail to do sth → no hacer algo, dejar de hacer algo
don't fail to visit her → no deje de visitarla
don't fail to visit her → no deje de visitarla
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
fail
[ˈfeɪl] vt
(= be unsuccessful in) [+ exam, test] → échouer à, rater
I failed the history exam → J'ai échoué à l'examen d'histoire., J'ai raté l'examen d'histoire.
to fail one's driving test → échouer à son permis de conduire, rater son permis de conduire
I failed the history exam → J'ai échoué à l'examen d'histoire., J'ai raté l'examen d'histoire.
to fail one's driving test → échouer à son permis de conduire, rater son permis de conduire
(in exam, test) [+ candidate] → recaler
(= let down) [+ person] [courage, memory] → faire défaut à; [imagination] → faire défaut à; [system] → décevoir; [person] → décevoir
Our leaders have failed us → Nos dirigeants nous ont déçus.
Our leaders have failed us → Nos dirigeants nous ont déçus.
vi
(= not pass) (in exam, test) → échouer
In our class, no one failed → Dans notre classe, personne n'a échoué.
In our class, no one failed → Dans notre classe, personne n'a échoué.
(= be unsuccessful) [activity, attempt, plan, remedy] → échouer; [business, organization] → échouer; [system] → échouer; [marriage, relationship] → échouer
(= neglect, omit) to fail to do sth → ne pas faire qch, négliger de faire qch
She failed to return her library books → Elle n'a pas rendu ses livres à la bibliothèque.
She failed to return her library books → Elle n'a pas rendu ses livres à la bibliothèque.
(= be unable) to fail to do sth [person] → ne pas parvenir à faire qch; [thing]
The bomb failed to explode → La bombe n'a pas explosé.
The bomb failed to explode → La bombe n'a pas explosé.
[light] → baisser
n
without fail → sans faute
without fail → sans faute
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
fail
vi
(= be unsuccessful) → keinen Erfolg haben; (in mission, life etc) → versagen, scheitern; (campaign, efforts, negotiations, plan, experiment, marriage) → fehlschlagen, scheitern; (undertaking, attempt) → fehlschlagen, misslingen, missglücken; (applicant, application) → nicht angenommen werden; (election candidate, Theat: play) → durchfallen; (business) → eingehen; (charm, attempts at persuasion etc) → vergeblich or umsonst sein; he failed in his attempt to take control of the company → sein Versuch, die Leitung der Firma zu übernehmen, schlug fehl or blieb erfolglos or missglückte; he failed in his application for the post → seine Bewerbung wurde nicht angenommen; to fail in one’s duty → seine Pflicht nicht tun; to fail by 5 votes (motion) → mit 5 Stimmen Mehrheit abgelehnt werden; (person) → um 5 Stimmen geschlagen werden; if all else fails → wenn alle Stricke reißen; to fail miserably or dismally → kläglich scheitern
(= fall short) where he/the essay fails is in not being detailed enough → sein Fehler/der Fehler des Aufsatzes ist, dass er nicht ausführlich genug ist; this report fails in that it comes up with no clear proposals → dieser Bericht lässt es an klaren Vorschlägen fehlen; where you fail is that you lack relevant experience → Ihnen fehlt es an der notwendigen Erfahrung
(= grow feeble, health) → sich verschlechtern; (hearing, eyesight) → nachlassen; (invalid) → schwächer werden; he is failing fast → sein Zustand verschlechtert sich zusehends
vt
candidate → durchfallen lassen; subject → durchfallen in (+dat); to fail an exam → eine Prüfung nicht bestehen, durch eine Prüfung fallen; to fail Latin → in Latein durchfallen
(= let down, person, memory) → im Stich lassen; (= not live up to sb’s expectations) → enttäuschen; his heart failed him → sein Herz setzte aus; words fail me → mir fehlen die Worte
to fail to do something → etw nicht tun; (= neglect) → (es) versäumen, etw zu tun; she failed to lose weight → es gelang ihr nicht abzunehmen; he failed to win support for his proposal → er konnte keine Unterstützung für seinen Vorschlag finden; she never fails to amaze me → sie versetzt mich immer wieder in Erstaunen; I fail to see why → es ist mir völlig unklar, warum; (indignantly) → ich sehe gar nicht ein, warum; I failed to understand how/what … → ich konnte nicht verstehen, wie/was …
n
(= failed candidate, exam) there were ten fails → zehn sind durchgefallen or durchgerasselt (inf); she got a fail in history → in Geschichte ist sie hängen geblieben (inf) → or durchgefallen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
fail
[feɪl]1. vi
a. (gen) → fallire; (in exam, candidate) → essere respinto/a or bocciato/a; (show, play) → essere un fiasco
to fail in one's duty → mancare al proprio dovere
to fail in one's duty → mancare al proprio dovere
b. (power, light, supplies) → mancare; (crops) → andare perduto/a; (sight, light) → indebolirsi; (strength, health) → venire a mancare; (engine) → fermarsi; (brakes) → non funzionare
2. vt
a. (exam, subject) → non superare, essere bocciato/a in; (candidate) → respingere, bocciare, rimandare
b. (subj, person, memory, nerve) → abbandonare, mancare a
don't fail me! → non deludermi!
his courage failed him → gli è mancato il coraggio
words fail me! → mi mancano le parole!
don't fail me! → non deludermi!
his courage failed him → gli è mancato il coraggio
words fail me! → mi mancano le parole!
c. to fail to do sth (neglect) → non fare qc, mancare di fare qc; (be unable) → non riuscire a fare qc
I fail to see why/what → non vedo perché/che cosa
I fail to see why/what → non vedo perché/che cosa
3. n without fail → senza fallo, senz'altro
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
fail
(feil) verb1. to be unsuccessful (in); not to manage (to do something). They failed in their attempt; I failed my exam; I failed to post the letter.
2. to break down or cease to work. The brakes failed.
3. to be insufficient or not enough. His courage failed (him).
4. (in a test, examination etc) to reject (a candidate). The examiner failed half the class.
5. to disappoint. They did not fail him in their support.
ˈfailing noun a fault or weakness. He may have his failings, but he has always treated his children well.
preposition if (something) fails or is lacking. Failing his help, we shall have to try something else.
ˈfailure (-jə) noun1. the state or act of failing. She was upset by her failure in the exam; failure of the electricity supply.
2. an unsuccessful person or thing. He felt he was a failure.
3. inability, refusal etc to do something. his failure to reply.
without fail definitely or certainly. I shall do it tomorrow without fail.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
fail
→ يَفْشَلُ neuspět slå fejl scheitern αποτυγχάνω fracasar, no + infinitivo epäonnistua échouer ne uspjeti fallire 失敗する 실패하다 falen mislykkes zawieść falhar потерпеть неудачу misslyckas ล้มเหลว başarısız olmak thất bại 失败Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
fail
v. [to be deficient] fallar, faltar; dejar de;
without ___ → sin falta.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
fail
vi fracasar, fallarEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.