fell 1
/fel/ , v.
pt. of fall .
fell 2
/fel/ , v.t.
1. to knock, strike, shoot, or cut down; cause to fall: to fell a moose; to fell a tree.
2. Sewing. to finish (a seam) by sewing the edge down flat.
n.
3. Lumbering. the amount of timber cut down in one season.
4. Sewing. a seam finished by felling.
[ bef. 900; ME fellen, OE fellan, causative of feallan to FALL; c. Goth falljan to cause to fall ]
fell 3
— fellness , n.
/fel/ , adj.
1. fierce; cruel; dreadful; savage.
2. destructive; deadly: fell poison; fell disease.
3. at or in one fell swoop . See swoop (def. 5).
[ 1250-1300; ME fel felon wicked. See FELON ]
fell 4
/fel/ , n.
the skin or hide of an animal; pelt.
[ bef. 900; ME, OE; c. D vel, G Fell, ON -fjall (in berfjall bear-skin), Goth -fill (in thrutsfill scab-skin, leprosy); akin to L pellis skin, hide ]
fell 5
/fel/ , n. Scot. and North Eng.
an upland pasture, moor, or thicket; a highland plateau.
[ 1300-50; ME fell, fjall hill, mountain, akin to G Felsen rock, cliff ]