fail
noun
- 1
Poor quality; substandard workmanship.
“The project was full of fail.”
- 2
A failure (condition of being unsuccessful)
- 3
A failure (something incapable of success)
- 4
A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).
- 5
A failing grade in an academic examination.
verb
- 1
To be unsuccessful.
“Throughout my life, I have always failed.”
- 2
Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
“The truck failed to start.”
- 3
To neglect.
“The report fails to take into account all the mitigating factors.”
- 4
Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.
“After running five minutes, the engine failed.”
- 5
To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert.
- 6
To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.
“I failed English last year.”
- 7
To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.
“The professor failed me because I did not complete any of the course assignments.”
- 8
To miss attaining; to lose.
- 9
To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence.
“The crops failed last year.”
- 10
To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.
- 11
To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.
- 12
To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.
“A sick man fails.”
- 13
To perish; to die; used of a person.
- 14
To err in judgment; to be mistaken.
- 15
To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.
Synonyms
Antonyms
adjective
- 1
That is a failure.
noun
- 1
A piece of turf cut from grassland.
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