■ verb ( past fell ; past participle ~en )
1》 move from a higher to a lower level, typically rapidly and without control.
↘( ~ off ) become detached and drop to the ground.
↘hang down.
↘slope downwards.
↘(of a person's face) show dismay or disappointment by appearing to droop.
2》 cease to be standing or upright; collapse.
3》 decrease in number, amount, intensity, or quality.
4》 pass into a specified state: the buildings fell into disrepair.
↘occur or arrive.
↘( ~ to doing something ) begin to do something.
5》 be captured or defeated.
↘ Cricket (of a wicket) be taken by the bowling side.
↘ archaic yield to temptation.
6》 be classified in the way specified.
■ noun
1》 an act of ~ing.
↘ Wrestling a move which pins the opponent's shoulders on the ground for a count of three.
↘a downward difference in height between parts of a surface.
↘a sudden onset or arrival.
2》 a thing which ~s or has ~en.
↘a water~.
3》 a decrease.
4》 a defeat or down~.
↘( the Fall of Man ) the lapse of humankind into a state of sin, ascribed in Jewish and Christian theology to the disobedience of Adam and Eve.
5》 N. Amer. autumn.
Phrases
~ foul (or N. Amer. afoul ) of come into conflict with.
~ in (or into ) line conform. [with ref. to military formation.]
~ into place begin to make sense.
~ over oneself to do something informal be excessively eager to do something.
~ short ( of )
1》 (of a missile) fail to reach its target.
2》 be deficient or inadequate.
take the ~ N. Amer. informal incur blame or punishment in the place of another.
Phrasal verbs
~ about Brit. informal laugh uncontrollably.
~ apart (or to pieces ) informal lose one's capacity to cope.
~ back retreat.
~ back on have recourse to when in difficulty.
~ down fail.
~ for informal
1》 ~ in love with.
2》 be deceived by.
~ in take one's place in a military formation.
~ in with
1》 meet by chance and become involved with.
2》 agree to.
~ on/upon
1》 attack fiercely or unexpectedly.
2》 (of someone's eyes) be directed towards.
3》 be the responsibility of.
~ out
1》 have an argument.
2》 leave one's place in a military formation.
3》 happen.
~ through fail.
~ to become the duty of.
↘(of property) revert to the ownership of.
Origin
OE ~an , feallan , of Gmc origin; the noun is partly from ON ~ 'down~, sin'.