verb (
mainly intransitive)
falls, falling, fell (
fɛl),
fallen (
ˈfɔːlən)
1. to descend by the force of gravity from a higher to a lower place
2. to drop suddenly from an erect position
3. to collapse to the ground, esp in pieces
4. to become less or lower in number, quality, etc: prices fell in the summer
5. to become lower in pitch
6. to extend downwards: her hair fell to her waist
7. to be badly wounded or killed
8. to slope in a downward direction
9. (Christianity) to yield to temptation or sin
10. to diminish in status, estimation, etc
11. to yield to attack: the city fell under the assault
12. to lose power: the government fell after the riots
13. to pass into or take on a specified condition: to fall asleep, fall in love
14. to adopt a despondent expression: her face fell
15. to be averted: her gaze fell
16. to come by chance or presumption: suspicion fell on the butler
17. to occur; take place: night fell, Easter falls early this year
18. (of payments) to be due
19. to be directed to a specific point
20. foll by back, behind, etc. to move in a specified direction
21. to occur at a specified place: the accent falls on the last syllable
22. (foll by to) to return (to); be inherited (by): the estate falls to the eldest son
23. often foll by into, under, etc. to be classified or included: the subject falls into two main areas
24. to issue forth: a curse fell from her lips
25. (of animals, esp lambs) to be born
26. (Brit, dialect) to become pregnant
27. (transitive) (Austral & NZ, dialect) to fell (trees)
28. (cricket) (of a batsman's wicket) to be taken by the bowling side: the sixth wicket fell for 96
29. (archaic) to begin to do: fall a-doing, fall to doing
30. fall flat, to fail to achieve a desired effect
31. fall foul of - to come into conflict with
- (nautical) to come into collision with
32. fall short - to prove inadequate
- (often foll by of) to fail to reach or measure up to (a standard)
noun 33. an act or instance of falling
34. something that falls: a fall of snow
36. the distance that something falls: a hundred-foot fall
37. a sudden drop from an upright position
38. (
often pl)
- a waterfall or cataract
- (capital when part of a name): Niagara Falls
39. a downward slope or decline
40. a decrease in value, number, etc
41. a decline in status or importance
42. a moral lapse or failing
43. a capture or overthrow: the fall of the city
44. a long false hairpiece; switch
45. a piece of loosely hanging material, such as a veil on a hat
46. (machinery, nautical) the end of a tackle to which power is applied to hoist it
47. (nautical) one of the lines of a davit for holding, lowering, or raising a boat
48. (wrestling) Also called pinfall. a scoring move, pinning both shoulders of one's opponent to the floor for a specified period
49. (
hunting)
- another word for deadfall
- (as modifier): a fall trap
50. - the birth of an animal
- the animals produced at a single birth
51. (slang, mainly US) take the fall, to be blamed, punished, or imprisoned