fall
verb (used without object), fell, fall·en, fall·ing.
verb (used with object), fell, fall·en, fall·ing.
noun
- an act or instance of holding or forcing an opponent's shoulders against the mat for a specified length of time.
- a match or division of a match.
Verb Phrases
- to withdraw support or allegiance: The candidate's supporters fell away when he advocated racial discrimination.
- to become lean or thin; diminish; decline.
- to forsake one's faith, cause, or principles: Many fell away because they were afraid of reprisals.
- Also fall back to. to retreat to: They fell back on their entrenchments. The troops fell back to their original position.
- to have recourse to; rely on: They had no savings to fall back on.
- to lag, in pace or progress: We are falling behind in our work. Fatigued, some of the marchers fell behind.
- to fail to pay (a debt, obligation, etc.) at the appointed time: She fell behind in her tax payments, and the property was confiscated.
- to be deceived by: Imagine falling for such an old trick.
- to fall in love with: He's not at all the type you would expect her to fall for.
- to fall to pieces toward the interior; sink inward.
- to take one's place in the ranks, as a soldier.
- Also fall in with. to become acquainted with, especially by chance: We fell in with an interesting couple from Paris.
- to separate from; withdraw.
- to decrease in number, amount, or intensity; diminish: Tourism falls off when the summer is over.
- Nautical. to deviate from the heading; fall to leeward.
- South Midland and Southern U.S. to lose weight, usually due to illness: She was sick all winter and fell off till she was just skin and bones.
- to assault; attack: The enemy fell on them suddenly from the rear.
- to be the obligation of: It has fallen on me to support the family.
- to experience; encounter: Once well-to-do, they had fallen on hard times.
- to chance upon; come upon: I fell upon the idea while looking through a magazine.
- to quarrel; disagree: We fell out over who was to wash the dishes.
- to happen; occur: It fell out that we met by chance weeks later.
- to leave one's place in the ranks, as a soldier: They were ordered to fall out when the parade ended.
- Slang. to burst out laughing.
- South Midland and Southern U.S. to become unconscious; pass out.
- to apply oneself; begin: to fall to work.
- to begin to eat: They fell to and soon finished off the entire turkey.
- to be the concern or responsibility of.
- to be classified as; be included within: That case falls under the heading of errors of judgment.
Idioms for fall
- bend1(def 21).
- to exhibit great eagerness, especially in pursuit of one's own advantage: The candidate fell over backward in support of the issues that would win votes.
Origin of fall
OTHER WORDS FROM fall
un·fall·ing, adjectiveWords nearby fall
Example sentences from the Web for falling
We also see her physically battling Sheriff Clark, but the camera focuses on her falling to the ground.
The carpeting is worn, the furniture is falling apart, and the electricity is out for most of the day.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan |Umar Farooq |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEASTWhere these laser-like missiles are falling out of the sky onto a city and you have to stop each of them from hitting the targets?
Coffee Talk with Ethan Hawke: On ‘Boyhood,’ Jennifer Lawrence, and Bill Clinton’s Urinal Exchange |Marlow Stern |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEASTWe have to use common sense inclusiveness, because we are quickly getting to a place where our brain is falling out.
For days, the ruble has been falling and salaries shrinking; shoppers have rushed to snap up TV sets and washing machines.
After His Disastrous Annual Press Conference, Putin Needs A Hug |Anna Nemtsova |December 18, 2014 |DAILY BEASTNone, however, were falling on the wood because here friend and foe were lying almost within bayonet length of each other.
The Sky Pilot in No Man's Land |Ralph ConnorThey were to try their best to turn square corners, to roll their hoops in a straight line, and to keep them from falling down.
All About Johnnie Jones |Carolyn VerhoeffThrough long hours we dragged slowly on in the deep snow, often falling over the edge of the rocks.
Beasts, Men and Gods |Ferdinand OssendowskiWe had hardly got our breath when Snyman dashed into the tent, falling over us and almost pulling it down.
Adventures in Swaziland |Owen Rowe O'NeilIf ever there be an excuse for falling asleep out of bed, surely it is when stretched at full length upon heather in bloom.
David Elginbrod |George MacDonald
British Dictionary definitions for falling (1 of 2)
noun
British Dictionary definitions for falling (2 of 2)
verb falls, falling, fell (fɛl) or fallen (ˈfɔːlən) (mainly intr)
- to come into conflict with
- nautical to come into collision with
- to prove inadequate
- (often foll by of) to fail to reach or measure up to (a standard)
noun
- a waterfall or cataract
- (capital when part of a name)Niagara Falls
- another word for deadfall
- (as modifier)a fall trap
- the birth of an animal
- the animals produced at a single birth
Word Origin for fall
Idioms and Phrases with falling
In addition to the idioms beginning with fall
- fall all over oneself
- fall apart
- fall asleep
- fall away
- fall back
- fall back on
- fall behind
- fall between the cracks
- fall by the wayside
- fall down
- fall flat
- fall for
- fall from grace
- fall guy
- fall in
- falling down drunk
- fall in line
- fall in love
- fall in place
- fall into
- fall in with
- fall off
- fall off the wagon
- fall on
- fall on deaf ears
- fall on one's face
- fall on one's feet
- fall out
- fall over
- fall short of
- fall through
- fall through the cracks
- fall to
- fall under
also see:
- bottom drops (falls) out
- break one's fall
- easy as pie (falling off a log)
- let drop (fall)
- let the chips fall where they may
- ride for a fall
- take the fall