fail

Study(18)

/feɪl/

verb 5noun 5adj 1name 1

Collocations

(verb.) not succeed

ADV

dismally, miserably

The team's attempt to win the championship failed dismally after they lost every game in the final round.

spectacularly

The company's new product launch failed spectacularly when nobody wanted to buy it.

VERB + FAIL

cannot/could not, can/could hardly

She could hardly fail to notice the bright red car parked outside her house.

be bound to, be destined to, be doomed to

Without proper planning, that project was bound to fail within the first month.

PREP

The company failed in its responsibility to protect customer information from hackers.

(verb.) fail to do sth: not do sth

ADV

totally

My first attempt at baking a cake totally failed, so I ordered one instead.

Definitions

verb

To be unsuccessful.

Throughout my life, I have always failed.

If they ſhoulde gyue battayle it was to be doubted, leaſt through treaſon amõgſt themſelues, the armie ſhould be betrayed into the enimies hands, the which would not fayle to execute all kinde of crueltie in the ſlaughter of the whole nation.

Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)

The truck failed to start.

To neglect.

The report fails to take into account all the mitigating factors.

Those who have advocated the closure of the G.C. have so far failed to say by which alternative route this North-to-West traffic could be carried.

Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.

After running five minutes, the engine failed.

We also found that the only emergency egress from the tram was by smashing the front or rear windscreens, and that emergency lighting had failed when the tram overturned.

To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert; to disappoint one's expectations.

I've failed my parents many times growing up.

There shall not fail thee a man on the throne.

noun

A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).

A failing grade in an academic examination.

A failure (something incapable of success).

Poor quality; substandard workmanship.

The project was full of fail.

adj

Unsuccessful; inadequate; unacceptable in some way.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

verb — stop operating or functioning

verb — disappoint, prove undependable to

betray

verb — fail to get a passing grade

verb — be unsuccessful

miscarry

verb — fail to do something

neglect

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

without fail

Certainly; by all means; as a matter of importance.

You will report to the police every week without fail.

fail at life

To be or become trapped in poverty, or in a situation where one is not doing anything productive with one's life; to become a loser.

words fail someone

Someone is incapable of describing something with words, especially due to fear, shock, or surprise.

Nature has given me the passion for poesy, but refused me the boon of words and the faculty of expressing my thoughts. I think deeply, but when I wish to speak words fail me. If I

fail upwards

To advance in one's career despite failure or incompetence.

I got trapped in an absurd, "failing upwards" trajectory. Heathers got me work on a bigger film called Ford Fairlane. When that movie failed, I was given a post on an even bigger f

failure to prepare is preparing to fail

Failing to prepare will cause one to lose or fail.

Example Bank

Throughout my life, I have always failed.

Wiktionary

As the world’s drug habit shows, governments are failing in their quest to monitor every London window-box and Andean hillside for banned plants. But even that Sisyphean task looks easy next to the fi

Wiktionary

The project was full of fail.

Wiktionary

I don't want to fail my exams.

Tatoeba · #2109

You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.

Tatoeba · #2278

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, fail is marked as slang, US. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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