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| fall [ fawl ] |
intransitive verb (past fell [ fel ], past participle fall·en [ fáwlən ], present participle fall·ing, 3rd person present singular falls) |
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| Definition: |
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1. move downward: to come down freely from a higher to a lower position, moved by the force of gravity
  The vase fell to the floor and shattered.
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2. drop or be lowered: to drop or be dropped or lowered
The curtain fell at the end of the performance.
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3. come down suddenly from upright position: to drop or come down suddenly from an upright position, especially by accident
The horse fell at the first fence.
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4. become less: to become lower or be reduced in amount, value, or quality
Prices have fallen in the last year.
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5. acoustics become lower in pitch: to become lower in pitch or volume
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6. military be taken by force: to be conquered or captured by a military force
The city fell despite the best efforts of the army.
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7. military drop to ground in battle: to drop to the ground in battle after being wounded or having died
He fell at the Battle of the Alamo.
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8. politics collapse politically: to lose political power or be defeated
The administration fell after only six months in office.
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9. be draped: to hang down
When her hair is down it falls across her shoulders.
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10. take place: to happen or occur as if falling on something and enveloping it
Night fell suddenly.
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11. display disappointment: to show an expression of disappointment
Their faces fell when they heard the result.
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12. grow sad: to become sad and gloomy or to lose hope
Our hearts fell.
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13. stop to look: to settle or come to rest
His gaze fell on an open book.
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14. be averted: to look away or downward
Her eyes fell.
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15. begin to be in particular state: to begin to be in, or enter into, a particular state or condition
The class eventually fell silent.
fall to work
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16. christianity sin: to sin or give in to temptation
(
archaic
)
See also Fall
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17. geography slope: to slope downward and away
The land falls gradually to the lake.
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noun (plural falls) |
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| Definition: |
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1. act of moving down freely: an act of falling or moving down freely or suddenly
She broke her arm in a fall.
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2. something fallen: something that falls or has fallen, or the amount that has fallen
a heavy fall of snow
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3. distance down: the distance that something drops or could fall
a ten-foot fall
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4. lowering of something: a decrease in the amount, size, quantity, or quality of something
Even a slight fall in prices is welcome.
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5. season between summer and winter: the season between summer and winter when leaves change color and fall to the ground.
Canadian term autumn
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6. geography slope: a slope that leads downward and away
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7. geography waterfall: a waterfall or steep rapids
(
often used in the plural, often used in place names
)
Niagara Falls
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8. military military loss: a military defeat or the loss of something to an enemy
the fall of Berlin in 1945
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9. politics political collapse: a loss of political power or control
the fall of the government
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10. religion commission of sin: a giving in to temptation or committing of a sin
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11. end of hoisting rope: the end of a rope or chain to which power is applied when hoisting something
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12. wrestling move forcing opposing wrestler to floor: in wrestling, a scoring move in which a wrestler forces the opponent's shoulders to the floor for a specific period
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13. hairpiece: a hairpiece of long hair, usually attached to the top of the head with the join covered by the wearer's own hair
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14. dress ornamental decoration of lace: an ornamental piece of lace, veiling, or other light fabric that hangs draped from a collar or hat
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15. dress
Same as falling band
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16. botany downward facing part of iris blossom: the outer part of an iris flower, resembling a petal, that hangs down in front
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adjective |
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| Definition: |
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for or of autumn: appropriate for or associated with autumn
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| [ Old English feallan< Germanic] |
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fall flat to fail to have the intended effect
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fall foul or afoul of
1. to come into conflict with somebody or something
2. nauticalto collide with something
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fall short to be less than is needed
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fall short of something to fail to meet a desired standard
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break a fall Caribbean to fall, especially heavily
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