[fall] vb fell ; fall.en ; fall.ing [ME, fr. OE feallan; akin to OHG fallan to fall and perh. to Lith pulti] vi (bef. 12c) 1 a: to descend freely by the force of gravity b: to hang freely "her hair ~s over her shoulders" c: to drop oneself to a lower position "fell to his knees" d: to come or go as if by falling "darkness ~s early in the winter"
2: to become born--usu. used of lambs 3 a: to become lower in degree or level "the temperature fell
10. degrees" b: to drop in pitch or volume "their voices fell to a whisper" c: issue 1a,b "wisdom that fell from his lips" d: to become lowered "her eyes fell"
4. a: to leave an erect position suddenly and involuntarily "slipped and fell on the ice" b: to enter as if unawares: stumble, stray "fell into error" c: to drop down wounded or dead; esp: to die in battle d: to suffer military capture "after a long siege the city fell" e: to lose office "the party fell from power" f: to suffer ruin, defeat, or failure "the deal fell through"
5: to commit an immoral act; esp: to lose one's chastity
6. a: to move or extend in a downward direction "the land ~s away to the east" b: subside, abate "the wind is ~ing" c: to decline in quality, activity, or quantity "production fell off" d: to lose weight--used with off or away e: to assume a look of shame, disappointment, or dejection "his face fell" f: to decline in financial value or price "stocks fell sharply"
7. a: to occur at a certain time b: to come by chance "fell in with a fast crowd" c: to come or pass by lot, assignment, or inheritance: devolve "it fell to him to break the news" d: to have a certain or proper position, place, or station "the accent ~s on the second syllable" 8: to come within the limits, scope, or jurisdiction of something "this word ~s into the class of verbs" 9: to pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind or a new state or condition "~ asleep" "~ in love" 10: to set about heartily or actively "fell to work" 11: strike, impinge "music ~ing on the ear" ~ vt: fell 1 -- fall apart 1: disintegrate
2: to succumb to mental or emotional stress: break down -- fall behind 1: to lag behind
2: to be in arrears -- fall between two stools : to fail because of inability to choose between or reconcile two alternative or conflicting courses of action -- fall flat : to produce no response or result "the joke fell flat" -- fall for 1: to fall in love with
2: to become a victim of "fell for the trick" -- fall foul : to have a quarrel: clash--often used with of -- fall from grace : backslide 1 -- fall home : to curve inward--used of the timbers or upper parts of a ship's side -- fall into line : to comply with a certain course of action -- fall on or fall upon : to meet with "fell on hard times" -- fall over oneself or fall over backward : to display excessive eagerness -- fall short 1: to be deficient
2: to fail to attain something (as a goal or target)
[2]fall n (13c) 1: the act of falling by the force of gravity
2. a: a falling out, off, or away: dropping "the ~ of leaves" "a ~ of snow" b: the season when leaves fall from trees: autumn c: a thing or quantity that falls or has fallen "a ~ of rock at the base of the cliff"; esp: one or more meteorites or their fragments that have fallen together d (1): birth (2): the quantity born--usu. used of lambs 3 a: a costume decoration of lace or thin fabric arranged to hang loosely and gracefully b: a very wide turned-down collar worn in the 17th century c: the part of a turnover collar from the crease to the outer edge d: a wide front flap on trousers (as those worn by sailors) e: the freely hanging lower edge of the skirt of a coat f: one of the three outer and often drooping segments of the flower of an iris g: long hair overhanging the face of dogs of some breeds h: a usu. long straight portion of hair that is attached to a person's own hair
4: a hoisting-tackle rope or chain; esp: the part of it to which the power is applied
5. a: loss of greatness: collapse "the ~ of the Roman Empire" b: the surrender or capture of a besieged place "the ~ of Troy" c: lapse or departure from innocence or goodness d: loss of a woman's chastity
6. a: the downward slope (as of a hill): declivity b: a precipitous descent of water: waterfall--usu. used in pl. but sing. or pl. in constr. c: a musical cadence d: a falling-pitch intonation in speech 7: a decrease in size, quantity, degree, or value
8. a: the distance which something falls b: inclination, pitch
9. a: the act of felling something b: the quantity of trees cut down c (1): an act of forcing a wrestler's shoulders to the mat for a specified time (as one second) (2): a bout of wrestling
10. Scot: destiny, lot [3]fall adj (1677): of, relating to, or suitable for autumn "a new ~ coat"