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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025 fail /feɪl/USA pronunciation v.
to fall short of success or achievement;[ no object] (of some expected or usual resource) to turn out to be of no use or help to:[ ~ + object] to receive less than the passing grade or mark in (an examination, class, or course of study): [ no object] After your last test I'm afraid you are failing. [ ~ + object] You are failing the course. to give less than a passing grade in a course of study to (someone):[ ~ + object] to lose vigor;[ no object] to become unable to meet or pay debts or business obligations:[ no object] Idioms
Idioms without fail , with certainty;Be in my office at nine o'clock without fail.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 fail
(fāl),USA pronunciation v.i.
to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved:The experiment failed because of poor planning. to receive less than the passing grade or mark in an examination, class, or course of study:He failed in history. to be or become deficient or lacking;Our supplies failed. to dwindle, pass, or die away:The flowers failed for lack of rain. to lose strength or vigor;His health failed after the operation. to become unable to meet or pay debts or business obligations; (of a building member, structure, machine part, etc.) to break, bend, crush, or be otherwise destroyed or made useless because of an excessive load. to stop functioning or operating:The electricity failed during the storm. v.t.
to be unsuccessful in the performance or completion of:He failed to do his duty. (of some expected or usual resource) to prove of no use or help to:His friends failed him. Words failed her. to receive less than a passing grade or mark in:He failed history. to declare (a person) unsuccessful in a test, course of study, etc.;The professor failed him in history. n.
Stock Exchange, Business
a stockbroker's inability to deliver or receive security within the required time after sale or purchase. Business such an undelivered security.[ Obs.] Idioms without fail , with certainty;I will visit you tomorrow without fail. Vulgar Latin *fallīre, for Latin fallere to disappoint, deceive Anglo-French, Old French faillir Middle English failen 1175–1225
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
fail / feɪl / to be unsuccessful in an attempt (at something or to do something) (intransitive ) to stop operating or working properly : the steering failed suddenly to judge or be judged as being below the officially accepted standard required for success in (a course, examination, etc) (transitive ) to prove disappointing, undependable, or useless to (someone) (transitive ) to neglect or be unable (to do something) (intransitive ) to prove partly or completely insufficient in quantity, duration, or extent (intransitive ) to weaken; fade away (intransitive ) to go bankrupt or become insolvent a failure to attain the required standard, as in an examination without fail ⇒ definitely; with certainty Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French faillir , ultimately from Latin fallere to disappoint; probably related to Greek phēlos deceitful
'to fail ' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):