fail (redirected from fails)

fail  (fl)

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. To be unsuccessful: an experiment that failed.

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 patient's heart 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 . . . hold . . . those horrors up to the light of justice. Otherwise we would fail our inescapable obligation to the victims of Nazism: to remember" Anthony Lewis.

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.

n.

1. Failure to deliver securities to a purchaser within a specified time.

2. Failure to receive the proceeds of a transaction, as in the sale of stock or securities, by a specified date.

Idiom:

without fail

With no chance of failure: Be here at noon without fail.

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[Middle English failen, from Old French faillir, from Vulgar Latin *fallre, variant of Latin fallere, to deceive.]

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fail

Verb

1. to be unsuccessful in an attempt

2. to stop operating

3. to judge or be judged as being below the officially accepted standard required in a course or examination

4. to prove disappointing or useless to someone: the government has failed the homeless

5. to neglect or be unable to do something: he failed to repair the car

6. to go bankrupt

Noun

1. a failure to attain the required standard

2. without fail

a. regularly or without exception: use this shampoo once a week without fail

b. definitely: they agreed to enforce the embargo without fail [Latin fallere to disappoint]

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" neglect 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" go wrong, miscarry 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, bollocks, bollocks up, botch, botch up, bumble, bungle, flub, fluff, foul up, fuck 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 fall flat, fall through, founder, flop - fail utterly; collapse; "The project foundered" 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" betray 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" conk out, go bad, break down, die, give out, give way, break, go 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" bring off, carry off, manage, negociate, pull off - be successful; achieve a goal; "She succeeded in persuading us all"; "I managed to carry the box upstairs"; "She pulled it off, even though we never thought her capable of it"; "The pianist negociated the difficult runs"
	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?" flunk, flush it, bomb 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" make it, pass - go successfully through a test or a selection process; "She passed the new Jersey Bar Exam and can practice law now"
	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" flunk, flush it, bomb, fail - fail to get a passing grade; "She studied hard but failed nevertheless"; "Did I fail the test?"
	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" give out, run out
	11.	fail - get worse; "Her health is declining" decline, worsen - grow worse; "Conditions in the slum worsened"

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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 << OPPOSITE succeed

verb 2. disappoint, abandon, desert, neglect, omit, let down, forsake, turn your back on, be disloyal to, break your word, forget

verb 3. stop working, stop, die, give up, break down, cease, stall, cut out, malfunction, conk out (informal) go on the blink (informal) go phut

verb 4. wither, perish, sag, droop, waste away, shrivel up

verb 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

verb 6. decline, fade, weaken, deteriorate, dwindle, sicken, degenerate, fall apart at the seams, be on your last legs (informal)

verb 7. give out, disappear, fade, dim, dwindle, wane, gutter, languish, peter out, die away, grow dim, sink >> without fail without exception, regularly, constantly, invariably, religiously, unfailingly, conscientiously, like clockwork, punctually, dependably

Translations

fail [feɪl] vt → suspender; [memory etc] → fallar a

vi → suspender (= be unsuccessful); fracasar; [strength, brakes, engine] → fallar;

to fail to do sth (= neglect) → dejar de hacer algo;

(be unable) → no poder hacer algo;

without fail → sin falta;

words fail me! → ¡no sé qué decir!

fail [feɪl] vt [+ exam] → échouer à [+ candidate]; recaler;

(subj) [courage, memory] → faire défaut à

vi → échouer; [supplies] → manquer; [eyesight, health, light] (also: be failing) → baisser, s'affaiblir; [brakes] → lâcher;

to fail to do sth (= neglect) → négliger de or ne pas faire qch (= be unable); ne pas arriver or parvenir à faire qch;

without fail → à coup sûr; sans faute

fail [feɪl] vt (exam) → nicht bestehen;

(candidate) → durchfallen lassen;

(subj) (courage) → verlassen: (leader, memory) → im Stich lassen

vi (candidate) → durchfallen;

(attempt) → fehlschlagen;

(brakes) → versagen;

(also: be failing) (health) → sich verschlechtern: (eyesight, light) → nachlassen;

to fail to do sth → etw nicht tun;

(neglect) → (es) versäumen, etw zu tun;

without fail → ganz bestimmt

fail [feɪl] vt [+ exam] → non superare [+ candidate]; bocciare; [courage, memory] → mancare a

vi → fallire; [student] → essere respinto/a; [supplies] → mancare; [eyesight, health, light] (also: be failing) → venire a mancare; [brakes] → non funzionare;

to fail to do sth (= neglect) → mancare di fare qc (= be unable); non riuscire a fare qc;

without fail → senza fallo; certamente

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fail

v fail [feil]

1 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.faal, druip, versuimيَفْشَلпровалям (се)neuspět, nepodařit sefejle; mislykkes; ikke kunneversagen, versäumenαποτυγχάνω, δεν καταφέρνωfracasarebaõnnestuma, tegemata jätmaرد شدن؛ ناکام شدنepäonnistua, jättää tekemättäéchouer (à)לְהִכָּשֵל @@@לְהִיכָּשֵל$$$चूकना, असफल होनाne uspjeti, pasti (na ispitu)nem sikerülgagalmistakast; fallafallire, non riuscire失敗する실패하다ko nors nepadaryti, nepavykticiest neveiksmi; izkrist (eksāmenā); neizdoties [] izdarītgagaler niet in slagenmislykkes, slå feil, ikke klarenie spełnić, doznać niepowodzenia wnão conseguir/falhar, fracassara nu reuşiтерпеть неудачуzlyhaťspodletetine uspetimisslyckas, få underkänt, missaล้มเหลวbaşarısız olmak失敗зазнати невдачі; не зробитиناکامیاب ہوناthất bại失败

2 to break down or cease to work The brakes failed.onklaar raakيَكُف عَن أداء وظيفتهِразвалям сеselhatbryde sammen; svigteversagenχαλώ, παύω να λειτουργώfallarüles ütlemaاز کار افتادنmennä epäkuntoontomber en panneלְהִתקַלקֵלअसफलpokvariti se, ne raditielromlikrusakbilaguastarsi故障する멎다, 고장나다sugestibremzes nenostrādājarosakhet begevensvikte, ikke virke/fungerezepsuć sięfalhara se stricaвыйти из строяzlyhaťpokvariti sepokvariti sestrejka, inte fungera, klickaไม่ทำงานbozulmak停止作用зламати(ся)خراب ہو جانا، بگڑ جاناhỏng停止作用

3 to be insufficient or not enough His courage failed (him).in die steek laatيَضعُف، يَهِنне достигамnedostávat sesvigteverlassenεξαντλούμαι, είμαι ανεπαρκήςfallar, faltarpuudu jäämaکافی نبودنolla riittämätönmanquer (à)לְהַכזִיבसमाप्त हो जाना, खत्म हो जानाponestati, iznevjeritihiányziktidak cukupbregðastvenire meno～の役に立たない쓸모가 없다, 도움을 주지 않다pritrūkti, neužtektitrūkt; nepietikttidak cukupontoereikend zijnsvikte, svinnezabraknąćfaltara părăsiне хвататьnemaťpustiti na cediluizdatitryta, svikaไม่เพียงพอyetmemek不足не вистачати, бракуватиناکافی ہوناkhông đủ不足

4 (in a test, examination etc) to reject (a candidate) The examiner failed half the class.dop, druipيُفْشِل، يُسَقِّطкъсамnechat propadnoutdumpe; lade dumpe; ikke bestådurchfallen (lassen)απορρίπτω κπ. (π.χ. σε εξετάσεις)suspenderläbi kukutamaرد کردنreputtaarecalerלְהִכָּשֵלउनुत्तीर्णsrušiti (na ispitu)megbuktatmenolakfellabocciare不合格にする낙제점을 매기다, 불합격시키다parašyti nepatenkinamą pažymįizgāzt (eksāmenā)menggagalkanlaten zakken(la) stryke, dumpeoblać egzaminreprovara nu promovaпровалитьnechať prepadnúťvreči (na izpitu)oboritikuggaทำให้ไม่ผ่านbırakmak不錄取，不及格провалюватисяناکام کر دیناđánh trượt不及格

5 to disappoint They did not fail him in their support.teleurstelيُخَيِّب ، يَخْذُلразочаровамzklamatskuffeim Stich lassenαπογοητεύωfallar, decepcionarpettumust valmistamaیاری نکردنpettäämanquer (à)לְהַכזִיבकमी होनाrazočaraticserbenhagymengecewakanbregðastmancare期待にそむく실망시키다, 기대를 저버리다apviltipieviltmengecewakanin de steek latensvikte, skuffezawieśćdesapontara lăsaподводитьsklamaťpustiti na cediluizneveritisvika, lämna i sticketทำให้ผิดหวังdüş kırıklığına uğratmak使失望не виправдати (надій)نا امید کر دیناlàm thất vọng使失望

n ˈfailing

a fault or weakness He may have his failings, but he has always treated his children well.gebrek, swakheid, tekortkomingضَعْف، عَيْب، نَقْصнедостатъкchyba, slabostfejl; mangelder Fehlerαδυναμία, ελάττωμαdefecto, fallo, punto débilpuudus, vigaنقطه ضعفpuutedéfautחוּלשָׁהकमजोरी, असफलताmana, slabostgyengeség, hibakelemahanannmarki, galli, veikleikidifetto弱点단점, 결점trūkumas, silpnybėtrūkums; vājībakelemahantekortkomingfeil, skavank, svakhetsłabośćfaltadefectнедостатокchybaslabostmanafel, brist, svaghetความผิดพลาดหรือจุดอ่อนkusur, zaaf, zayıflık缺點вада; слабкістьکمزوری یا عیبnhược điểm缺点

prep

if (something) fails or is lacking Failing his help, we shall have to try something else.by gebrek van, as dit nie moontlik is nieفي حال عَدَم وُجودако неpři nedostatkui mangel afin Ermangelungχωρίς, αν λείψειa falta de(millegi) puuduselدر صورت فقدانà défaut deבְּהֶעדֵרके अभाव मेंzbog, radivmi nélkültanpaef (e-ð) bregstin mancanza di～がなければ...이 없이는, ...이 없을 경우에는nesant, nepavykus gautineizdošanās gadījumā; iztrūkstot; ja ...tanpabij gebrek aani mangel avjeśli zabraknieà falta deîn lipsaза неимениемbezbrezbezi brist påขาดolmazsa, olmaması hâlinde如果沒有...за відсутністюکسی چیز کی غیر موجودگی میںnếu (cái gì) không xảy ra如果没有...

n ˈfailure [-jə]

1 the state or act of failing She was upset by her failure in the exam; failure of the electricity supply.mislukking, onderbrekingفَشَلнеуспехnezdar; výpadeknederlag; svigtdas Versagenαποτυχία, βλάβηfracaso, suspenso, corteebaõnnestumine, tõrgeناکامی؛ شکستepäonnistuminen, häiriöéchec; panneכִּשָלוֹןअसफलताpomanjkanje, neuspjehkudarc, bukás; meghibásodáskegagalanþað að e-ð bregstfallimento, insuccesso失敗실패nesėkmė, gedimasneveiksme; neizdošanās; trūkumskegagalanmislukking, storingstryk (til eksamen), fiasko; bruddniepowodzenie, awariafracassoeşec; panăпровал; перебойneúspech; zlyhanieneuspeh; okvaraneuspehmisslyckande, strejkandeความล้มเหลวbaşarısızlık不及格，不足відсутність; невдачаناکامیاب ہونے کی صورتtình trạng không thích hợp, không hoạt động như mong đợi不及格，不足

2 an unsuccessful person or thing He felt he was a failure.mislukking, misoes, nikswerdإنْسان فاشِلпровалneúspěšný člověk; fiaskofiaskoder Versagerαποτυχημένοςfracasadohädavares; läbikukkunud asiآدم ناموفقepäonnistunut ihminenraté/-éeכִּשָלוֹןअसफल व्यक्तिpromašaj, promašen covjeksikertelen ember, ügy; kudarcorang gagalmislukkaður maðurfallito失敗者실패자nevykėlisneveiksminieksorang yang gagalmislukkeling, mislukkingfiaskonieudacznikfracasso/falhadoratatнеудачник;неудачаstroskotanecneuspešnežpromašen čovekmisslyckad personผู้ล้มเหลวหรือสิ่งที่ล้มเหลวbaşarısız kimse/şey失敗者；失敗的事невдахаناکامیاب شخص یا شےngười, sự thất bại失败者；失败的事

3 inability, refusal etc to do something his failure to reply.onvermoë, gebrekعَدَم القِيام بِ، رَفْضневъзможностneschopnost, zanedbánímanglende evnedas Versäumnisπαράλειψη, άρνησηincapacidadvõimetusناتوانی؛ قصورkykenemättömyysincapacitéאִי-יְכוֹלֶת, אי נְחוֹנוּתअसमर्थता, इनकारpropust, odbijanje(el)mulasztáspenolakanvanræksla; það að láta e-ð ógertincapacità～しないこと...하지 못함, 불이행ko nors nepadarymasnespēja (kaut ko izdarīt)menolakverziumunnlatelse, manglende evneodmowarecusaneputinţăнеспособностьneschopnosťnezmožnostnesposobnostunderlåtenhet, försummelseการขาดความสามารถihmal無能力неспроможністьکسی چیز کو انجام دینے میں نا کامیابیsự thiếu khả năng无能力

without fail

definitely or certainly I shall do it tomorrow without fail.seker, definitiefبِالتأكيدнепременноzcela určitěhelt sikkertunbedingtοπωσδήποτεsin faltakindlastiحتماًvarmastisans fauteבְּלִי נֶדֶרबिना असफलता केsigurno, definitivnofeltétlenülpastiörugglegacertamente必ず틀림없이tikrai, neabejotinainoteiktipastizonder mankerenhelt sikkert, uten tvilna pewnosem faltanegreşitнепременноnaisto, celkom určitezagotovobez daljnegabsolut, säkert, ofelbartไม่มีทางล้มเหลวmutlaka, muhakkak必定неодмінно, обов'язковоیقینی طور پرchắc chắn必定