- fail
- [[t]feɪl[/t]]v. i.1) to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved:The experiment failed[/ex]2) to receive less than the passing grade or mark in an examination, class, or course of study3) to be or become deficient or lacking; fall short4) to lose strength or vigor; become weak5) to stop functioning or operating6) to dwindle, pass, or die away7) to become unable to meet or pay debts or business obligations; become insolvent or bankrupt8) mac (of a building member, structure, machine part, etc.) to break, bend, or be otherwise destroyed or made useless because of an excessive load9) to be unsuccessful in the performance or completion of:He failed to do his duty[/ex]10) to prove of no use or help to:His friends failed him[/ex]11) to receive less than a passing grade or mark in12) to declare (a person) unsuccessful in a test or course of study; give less than a passing grade to13) ste bus a stockbroker's inability to deliver or receive security within the required time after sale or purchase14) Obs. failure as to performance, occurrence, etc•Etymology: 1175–1225; ME < AF, OF faillir < L fallere to deceive, disappoint
From formal English to slang. 2014.