fell

1
[ fel ]
/ fɛl /

verb

simple past tense of fall.

Definition for fell (2 of 6)

fell 2
[ fel ]
/ fɛl /

verb (used with object)

to knock, strike, shoot, or cut down; cause to fall: to fell a moose; to fell a tree.
Sewing. to finish (a seam) by sewing the edge down flat.

noun

Lumbering. the amount of timber cut down in one season.
Sewing. a seam finished by felling.

Origin of fell

2
before 900; Middle English fellen, Old English fellan, causative of feallan to fall; cognate with Gothic falljan to cause to fall

Definition for fell (3 of 6)

fell 3
[ fel ]
/ fɛl /

adjective

fierce; cruel; dreadful; savage.
destructive; deadly: fell poison; fell disease.

Origin of fell

3
1250–1300; Middle English fel < Old French, nominative of felon wicked. See felon1

OTHER WORDS FROM fell

fell·ness, noun

Definition for fell (4 of 6)

fell 4
[ fel ]
/ fɛl /

noun

the skin or hide of an animal; pelt.

Origin of fell

4
before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch vel, German Fell, Old Norse -fjall (in berfjall bear-skin), Gothic -fill (in thrutsfill scab-skin, leprosy); akin to Latin pellis skin, hide

Definition for fell (5 of 6)

fell 5
[ fel ]
/ fɛl /

noun Scot. and North England.

an upland pasture, moor, or thicket; a highland plateau.

Origin of fell

5
1300–50; Middle English < Old Norse fell, fjall hill, mountain, akin to German Felsen rock, cliff

Definition for fell (6 of 6)

Origin of fall

before 900; Middle English fallen, Old English feallan; cognate with German fallen, Old Norse falla; akin to Lithuanian pùlti to fall

OTHER WORDS FROM fall

un·fall·ing, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for fell

British Dictionary definitions for fell (1 of 7)

fell 1
/ (fɛl) /

verb (tr)

to cut or knock down to fell a tree; to fell an opponent
needlework to fold under and sew flat (the edges of a seam)

noun

US and Canadian the timber felled in one season
a seam finished by felling

Derived forms of fell

fellable, adjective

Word Origin for fell

Old English fellan; related to Old Norse fella, Old High German fellen; see fall

British Dictionary definitions for fell (2 of 7)

fell 2
/ (fɛl) /

adjective

archaic cruel or fierce; terrible
archaic destructive or deadly a fell disease
one fell swoop a single hasty action or occurrence

Derived forms of fell

fellness, noun

Word Origin for fell

C13 fel, from Old French: cruel, from Medieval Latin fellō villain; see felon 1

British Dictionary definitions for fell (3 of 7)

fell 3
/ (fɛl) /

verb

the past tense of fall

British Dictionary definitions for fell (4 of 7)

fell 4
/ (fɛl) /

noun

an animal skin or hide

Word Origin for fell

Old English; related to Old High German fel skin, Old Norse berfjall bearskin, Latin pellis skin; see peel 1

British Dictionary definitions for fell (5 of 7)

fell 5
/ (fɛl) /

noun

(often plural) Northern English and Scot
  1. a mountain, hill, or tract of upland moor
  2. (in combination)fell-walking

Word Origin for fell

C13: from Old Norse fjall; related to Old High German felis rock

British Dictionary definitions for fell (6 of 7)

Fall
/ (fɔːl) /

noun

the Fall theol Adam's sin of disobedience and the state of innate sinfulness ensuing from this for himself and all mankind See also original sin

British Dictionary definitions for fell (7 of 7)

fall
/ (fɔːl) /

verb falls, falling, fell (fɛl) or fallen (ˈfɔːlən) (mainly intr)

noun

Word Origin for fall

Old English feallan; related to Old Norse falla, Old Saxon, Old High German fallan to fall; see fell ²

Idioms and Phrases with fell (1 of 2)

fell

see one fell swoop.

Idioms and Phrases with fell (2 of 2)

fall