Fail

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Fail, v. i. [F. failir, fr. L. fallere, falsum, to deceive, akin to E. fall. See Fail, and cf. Fallacy, False, Fault.].

•  To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence; to cease to be furnished in the usual or expected manner, or to be altogether cut off from supply; to be lacking; as, streams fail; crops fail.  [1913 Webster]

  "As the waters fail from the sea."  [1913 Webster]

  "Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; -- used with of.  [1913 Webster]

  "If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not be attributed to their size."  [1913 Webster]
•  To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.  [1913 Webster]

  "When earnestly they seek
  Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail."  [1913 Webster]
•  To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails.  [1913 Webster]
•  To perish; to die; -- used of a person.  [1913 Webster]

  "Had the king in his last sickness failed."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be found wanting with respect to an action or a duty to be performed, a result to be secured, etc.; to miss; not to fulfill expectation.  [1913 Webster]

  "Take heed now that ye fail not to do this."  [1913 Webster]

  "Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale."  [1913 Webster]
•  To come short of a result or object aimed at or desired ; to be baffled or frusrated.  [1913 Webster]

  "Our envious foe hath failed."  [1913 Webster]
•  To err in judgment; to be mistaken.  [1913 Webster]

  "Which ofttimes may succeed, so as perhaps
  Shall grieve him, if I fail not."  [1913 Webster]
•  To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent; as, many credit unions failed in the late 1980's.  [1913 Webster]

Fail, v. t. 

•  To be wanting to ; to be insufficient for; to disappoint; to desert.  [1913 Webster]

  "There shall not fail thee a man on the throne."  [1913 Webster]
•  To miss of attaining; to lose.  [1913 Webster]

  "Though that seat of earthly bliss be failed."  [1913 Webster]

Fail, n. [OF. faille, from failir. See Fail, v. i.].

•  Miscarriage; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly superseded by failure or failing, except in the phrase without fail.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  Death; decease.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Fail, v. & n.
--v.
1 intr. not succeed (failed in persuading; failed to qualify; tried but failed).
2 a tr. & intr. be unsuccessful in (an examination, test, interview, etc.); be rejected as a candidate. b tr. (of a commodity etc.) not pass (a test of quality). c tr. reject (a candidate etc.); adjudge unsuccessful.
3 intr. be unable to; neglect to; choose not to (I fail to see the reason; he failed to appear).
4 tr. disappoint; let down; not serve when needed.
5 intr. (of supplies, crops, etc.) be or become lacking or insufficient.
6 intr. become weaker; cease functioning; break down (her health is failing; the engine has failed).
7 intr. a (of an enterprise) collapse; come to nothing. b become bankrupt.
--n. a failure in an examination or test.

Idiom

fail-safe reverting to a safe condition in the event of a breakdown etc. without fail for certain, whatever happens.

Etymology

ME f. OF faillir (v.), fail(l)e (n.) ult. f. L fallere deceive

THESAURUS

Fail

abandon, abort, age, bankrupt, be a gas, be a hit, be caught napping, be found wanting, be inferior, be insufficient, be neglectful, be negligent, be ruined, be unfaithful, be unsuccessful, become insolvent, bill, bomb, break, break faith, bust, cave in, cheat the undertaker, close down, close up, collapse, come apart, come short, come to grief, come unstuck, conk out, crash, crumble, decay, decline, decrease, default, deplete, desert, deteriorate, die, diminish, disappear, disappoint, disintegrate, disregard, dodder, drain, dramatize, droop, drop, dwindle, ebb, exhaust, fade, fail of, fail of success, faint, fall, fall away, fall flat, fall off, fall short, fall shy, fall through, falter, feature, fizzle out, flag, flop, flunk, flunk out, fold, fold up, follow, forsake, founder, get along, get on, give out, give way, gloss over, go back on, go bankrupt, go broke, go down, go downhill, go into receivership, go off, go out, go soft, go to pieces, go to pot, go to ruin, go under, go up, go wrong, grow old, gutter, have nothing on, headline, hit a slump, hit rock bottom, hit the skids, ignore, impoverish, jade, kick the beam, labor in vain, lack, lag, languish, lapse, leave undone, lessen, let down, let go, let ride, let slide, let slip, lose, lose ground, lose sight of, lose strength, lose track of, make a hit, melodramatize, miscarry, misfire, miss, mount, neglect, nod, not answer, not approach, not care for, not come near, not come off, not compare, not get involved, not hack it, not heed, not make it, not make out, not measure up, not pass, not qualify, not stretch, not suffice, not think, not work, open, open a show, overlook, pass over, pass the buck, peak, peg out, peter out, pine, play second fiddle, poop out, premiere, present, preview, produce, put on, rank under, reach the depths, run aground, run down, run out, run short, scenarize, serve, set the stage, shake, shift the blame, shift the responsibility, short, shrink, shrivel, shut down, sink, sleep, slide, slight, slip, slump, spin, stage, star, stop short, subserve, subside, succeed, take for granted, theatricalize, totter, touch bottom, try out, turn gray, turn white, wane, want, wash out, waste, waste away, weaken, wear away, wear thin, wilt, wither, wither away, wizen, worsen, wrinkle, yield

ROGET THESAURUS

Fail

Inutility

VB be useless, go a begging, fail, seek after impossibilities, strive after impossibilities, use vain efforts, labor in vain, roll the stone of Sisyphus, beat the air, lash the waves, battre l'eau avec un baton, donner un coup d'epee dans l'eau, fish in the air, milk the ram, drop a bucket into an empty well, sow the sand, bay the moon, preach to the winds, speak to the winds, whistle jigs to a milestone, kick against the pricks, se battre contre des moulins, lock the stable door when the steed is stolen, lock the barn door after the horse is stolen, hold a farthing candle to the sun, cast pearls before swine, carry coals to Newcastle, wash a blackamoor white, render useless, dismantle, dismast, dismount, disqualify, disable, unrig, cripple, lame, spike guns, clip the wings, put out of gear.

Unskillfulness

VB be unskillful, not see an inch beyond one's nose, blunder, bungle, boggle, fumble, botch, bitch, flounder, stumble, trip, hobble, put one's foot in it, make a mess of, make hash of, make sad work of, overshoot the mark, play tricks with, play Puck, mismanage, misconduct, misdirect, misapply, missend, stultify oneself, make a fool of oneself, commit oneself, act foolishly, play the fool, put oneself out of court, lose control, lose control of oneself, lose one's head, lose one's cunning, begin at the wrong end, do things by halves, make two bites of a cherry, play at cross purposes, strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, put the cart before the horse, lock the stable door when the horse is stolen, not know what one is about, not know one's own interest, not know on which side one's bread is buttered, stand in one's own light, quarrel with one's bread and butter, throw a stone in one's own garden, kill the goose which lays the golden eggs, pay dear for one's whistle, cut one's own throat, bum one's fingers, knock one's head against a stone wall, beat one's head against a stone wall, fall into a trap, catch a Tartar, bring the house about one's ears, have too many eggs in one basket (imprudent), have too many irons in the fire, mistake, take the shadow for the substance, bark up the wrong tree, be in the wrong box, aim at a pigeon and kill a crow, take the wrong pig by the tail, get the wrong pig by the tail, get the wrong sow by the ear, get the dirty end of the stick, put the saddle on the wrong horse, put a square peg into a round hole, put new wine into old bottles, cut blocks with a razor, hold a farthing candle to the sun, fight with a shadow, grasp at a shadow, catch at straws, lean on a broken reed, reckon without one's host, pursue a wild goose chase, go on a fool's goose chase, sleeveless errand, go further and fare worse, lose one's way, miss one's way, fail.

Failure

VB fail, be unsuccessful, not succeed, make vain efforts, do in vain, labor in vain, toil in vain, flunk, lose one's labor, take nothing by one's motion, bring to naught, make nothing of, wash a blackamoor white, roll the stones of Sisyphus, do by halves, lose ground, fall short of, miss, miss one's aim, miss the mark, miss one's footing, miss stays, slip, trip, stumble, make a slip, blunder, make a mess of, make a botch of, bitch it, miscarry, abort, go up like a rocket and come down like the stick, come down in flames, get shot down, reckon without one's host, get the wrong pig by the tail, get the wrong sow by the ear, limp, halt, hobble, titubate, fall, tumble, lose one's balance, fall to the ground, fall between two stools, flounder, falter, stick in the mud, run aground, split upon a rock, beat one's head against a stone wall, run one's head against a stone wall, knock one's head against a stone wall, dash one's head against a stone wall, break one's back, break down, sink, drown, founder, have the ground cut from under one, get into trouble, get into a mess, get into a scrape, come to grief, go to the wall, go to the dogs, go to pot, lick the dust, bite the dust, be defeated, have the worst of it, lose the day, come off second best, lose, fall a prey to, succumb, not have a leg to stand on, come to nothing, end in smoke, flat out, fall to the ground, fall through, fall dead, fall stillborn, fall flat, slip through one's fingers, hang fire, miss fire, flash in the pan, collapse, topple down, go to wrack and ruin, go amiss, go wrong, go cross, go hard with, go on a wrong tack, go on ill, come off ill, turn out ill, work ill, take a wrong term, take an ugly term, take an ugly turn, take a turn for the worse, be all over with, be all up with, explode, dash one's hopes, defeat the purpose, sow the wind and reap the whirlwind, jump out of the frying pan into the fire, go from the frying pan into the fire.

Nonobservance

VB fail, neglect, omit, elude, evade, give the go-by to, set aside, ignore, shut one's eyes to, close one's eyes to, infringe, transgress, violate, pirate, break, trample under foot, do violence to, drive a coach and six through, discard, protest, repudiate, fling to the winds, set at naught, nullify, declare null and void, cancel, retract, go back from, be off, forfeit, go from one's word, palter, stretch a point, strain a point.

Nonpayment

VB not pay, fail, break, stop payment, become insolvent, become bankrupt, be gazetted, protest, dishonor, repudiate, nullify, refuse payment, pay under protest, button up one's pockets, draw the purse strings, apply the sponge, pay over the left shoulder, get whitewashed, swindle, run up bills, fly kites.

Weakness

VB be weak, drop, crumble, give way, totter, tremble, shake, halt, limp, fade, languish, decline, flag, fail, have one leg in the grave, render weak, weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, shake, deprive of strength, relax, enervate, eviscerate, unbrace, unnerve, cripple, unman, cramp, reduce, sprain, strain, blunt the edge of, dilute, impoverish, decimate, extenuate, reduce in strength, reduce the strength of, mettre de l'eau dans son vin.

Dereliction of Duty

VB violate, break, break through, infringe, set aside, set at naught, encroach upon, trench upon, trample on, trample under foot, slight, neglect, evade, renounce, forswear, repudiate, wash one's hands of, escape, transgress, fail, call to account.

Shortcoming

VB come short of, fall short of, stop short of, come short, fall short, stop short, not reach, want, keep within bounds, keep within the mark, keep within the compass, break down, stick in the mud, collapse, flat out, come to nothing, fall through, fall to the ground, cave in, end in smoke, miss the mark, fail, lose ground, miss stays.

Confutation

VB confute, refute, disprove, parry, negative, controvert, rebut, confound, disconfirm, redargue, expose, show the fallacy of, defeat, demolish, break, overthrow, overturn scatter to the winds, explode, invalidate, silence, put to silence, reduce to silence, clinch an argument, clinch a question, give one a setdown, stop the mouth, shut up, have, have on the hip, not leave a leg to stand on, cut the ground from under one's feet, be confuted, fail, expose one's weak point, show one's weak point, counter evidence.

Error

VB be erroneous, cause error, mislead, misguide, lead astray, lead into error, beguile, misinform, delude, give a false impression, give a false idea, falsify, misstate, deceive, lie, err, be in error, be mistaken, be deceived, mistake, receive a false impression, deceive oneself, fall into error, lie under error, labor under an error, be in the wrong, blunder, misapprehend, misconceive, misunderstand, misreckon, miscount, miscalculate, play at cross purposes, be at cross purposes, trip, stumble, lose oneself, go astray, fail, be in the wrong box, take the wrong sow by the ear, put the saddle on the wrong horse, reckon without one's host, take the shadow for the substance, dream.

Teaching

N teaching, instruction, edification, education, tuition, tutorage, tutelage, direction, guidance, opsimathy, qualification, preparation, training, schooling, discipline, excitation, drill, practice, book exercise, persuasion, proselytism, propagandism, propaganda, indoctrination, inculcation, inoculation, advise, explanation, lesson, lecture, sermon, apologue, parable, discourse, prolection, preachment, chalk talk, Chautauqua, exercise, task, curriculum, course, course of study, grammar, three R's, initiation, A, B, C, elementary education, primary education, secondary education, technical education, college education, collegiate education, military education, university education, liberal education, classical education, religious education, denominational education, moral education, secular education, propaedeutics, moral tuition, gymnastics, calisthenics, physical drill, physical education, sloyd, phonics, rote, rote memorization, brute memory, cooperative learning, Montessori method, ungraded classes, test, examination, exam, final exam, mid-term exam grade, score, marks, A, B, C, D, E, F, gentleman's C, pass, fail, incomplete, homework, take-home lesson, exercise for the student, theme, project, teaching, taught, educational, scholastic, academic, doctrinal, disciplinal, instructive, instructional, didactic, propaedeutic, propaedeutical, the schoolmaster abroad, a bovi majori disscit arare minor, adeo in teneris consuecere multum est, docendo discimus, quaenocent docent, qui docet discit, sermons in stones and good in everything.