fail

See also: Fail, fáil, fàil, and Fäil

English

A goalkeeper failing to stop the ball from entering the goal

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

    Category:English terms inherited from Middle English#FAILCategory:English terms derived from Vulgar Latin#FAILCategory:English terms derived from Old French#FAILCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#FAILCategory:English terms derived from Classical Latin#FAILCategory:Pages with etymology trees#FAILCategory:English entries with etymology trees#FAILCategory:Pages with inline etymon for redlinks#FAILCategory:Pages using etymon with no ID#FAIL

    Inherited from Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#FAILCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#FAIL failen, borrowed from Old FrenchCategory:English terms derived from Old French#FAIL falir, from Vulgar LatinCategory:English terms derived from Vulgar Latin#FAIL *fallire, alteration of LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#FAIL fallere (to deceive, disappoint), from Proto-Indo-EuropeanCategory:English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European#FAIL *bʰāl- (to lie, deceive)Category:Requests for attention concerning Proto-Indo-European#FAILCategory:attention lacking explanation#FAIL or Proto-Indo-EuropeanCategory:English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European#FAIL *(s)gʷʰh₂el- (to stumble).

    Compare Alemannic German fääle (to lack), Cimbrian béelan, véelan (to fail), veln (to be absent, missing), Dutch falen, feilen (to fail, miss), German fallieren, fehlen (to fail, miss, lack), Danish fejle (to fail, err), Swedish fallera (to fail, break, malfunction), Spanish fallar (to fail, miss).

    Alternative forms

    Verb

    fail (third-person singular simple present fails, present participle failing, simple past and past participle failed)Category:English lemmas#FAILCategory:English verbs#FAILCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#FAIL) To be unsuccessful.
      Throughout my life, I have always failed.Category:English terms with usage examples#FAIL
    2. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#FAIL) Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)
    3. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#FAIL) To neglect.
      The report fails to take into account all the mitigating factors.Category:English terms with usage examples#FAIL
      • 1960 December, B. Perren, “The role of the Great Centralpresent and future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 765:
        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.
        Category:English terms with quotations#FAIL
    4. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#FAIL) Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.
      After running five minutes, the engine failed.Category:English terms with usage examples#FAIL
      • 2021 December 29, Dominique Louis, “Causal analysis: crashworthiness at Sandilands”, in RAIL, number 947, page 33:
        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.
        Category:English terms with quotations#FAIL
    5. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#FAIL) 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.Category:English terms with usage examples#FAIL
    6. (ambitransitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#FAILCategory:English intransitive verbs#FAIL) To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.
    7. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#FAIL) 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.Category:English terms with usage examples#FAIL
    8. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#FAIL, obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#FAIL) 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.
    10. (archaicCategory:English terms with archaic senses#FAIL) To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.
    11. (archaicCategory:English terms with archaic senses#FAIL) To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.
    12. (archaicCategory:English terms with archaic senses#FAIL) To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.
    13. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#FAIL) To perish; to die; used of a person.
    14. (obsoleteCategory:English terms with obsolete senses#FAIL) 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.
    Usage notes
    Conjugation
    Synonyms
    Antonyms
    • (antonym(s) of to be unsuccessful): succeed
    Derived terms
    Descendants
    Translations

    Noun

    fail (countable and uncountable, plural fails)Category:English lemmas#FAILCategory:English nouns#FAILCategory:English uncountable nouns#FAILCategory:English countable nouns#FAILCategory:English countable nouns#FAILCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).
    2. A failing grade in an academic examination.
    3. (slangCategory:English slang#FAIL, USCategory:American English#FAIL) A failure (something incapable of success).
    4. (uncountableCategory:English uncountable nouns#FAIL, slangCategory:English slang#FAIL) Poor quality; substandard workmanship.
    Derived terms
    Translations

    Adjective

    fail (comparative more fail, superlative most fail)Category:English lemmas#FAILCategory:English adjectives#FAILCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. (slangCategory:English slang#FAIL, USCategory:American English#FAIL) Unsuccessful; inadequate; unacceptable in some way.

    Etymology 2

    UnknownCategory:English terms with unknown etymologies#FAIL. Compare Scottish Gaelic fàl (hedge), Scots faill (turf). Attested from the 16th century.[1]

    Alternative forms

    Noun

    fail (plural fails)Category:English lemmas#FAILCategory:English nouns#FAILCategory:English countable nouns#FAILCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. A piece of turf cut from grassland.
    Derived terms

    References

    1. fail, n.1, in James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Fail”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC.

    Anagrams

    Category:English control verbs#FAILCategory:English ergative verbs#FAILCategory:English raising verbs#FAIL

    Indonesian

    Pronunciation

    Etymology 1

    Borrowed from EnglishCategory:Indonesian terms borrowed from English#FAILCategory:Indonesian terms derived from English#FAIL file, from Old FrenchCategory:Indonesian terms derived from Old French#FAIL fil (thread), from LatinCategory:Indonesian terms derived from Latin#FAIL filum (thread). Compare to Malay fail.

    Noun

    fail (plural fail-fail)Category:Indonesian lemmas#FAILCategory:Indonesian nouns#FAILCategory:Indonesian entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. (uncommonCategory:Indonesian terms with uncommon senses#FAIL) file
      1. a collection of papers collated and archived together
        Synonyms: berkas, dokumen, sahifah
      2. (computingCategory:id:Computing#FAIL) an aggregation of data on a storage device, identified by a name
        Synonym: berkas
    2. (uncommonCategory:Indonesian terms with uncommon senses#FAIL) file rack
      Synonym: rak berkas
    Hyponyms
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2

    Borrowed from ArabicCategory:Indonesian terms borrowed from Arabic#FAILCategory:Indonesian terms derived from Arabic#FAIL فَاعِل (fāʕil, subject, agent).

    Noun

    fail (plural fail-fail)Category:Indonesian lemmas#FAILCategory:Indonesian nouns#FAILCategory:Indonesian entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. (grammarCategory:id:Grammar#FAIL) doer, subject
      Synonyms: pelaku, subjek

    Further reading

    Irish

    Etymology

    From Old IrishCategory:Irish terms inherited from Old Irish#FAILCategory:Irish terms derived from Old Irish#FAIL foil, from Proto-CelticCategory:Irish terms inherited from Proto-Celtic#FAILCategory:Irish terms derived from Proto-Celtic#FAIL *wali-, from Proto-Indo-EuropeanCategory:Irish terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European#FAILCategory:Irish terms derived from Proto-Indo-European#FAIL *wel-. Cognates include Ancient Greek ἕλιξ (hélix, something twisted).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    fail f (genitive singular faile, nominative plural faileanna)Category:Irish lemmas#FAILCategory:Irish nouns#FAILCategory:Irish entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Irish feminine nouns#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. ring
    2. bracelet
    3. wreath
    4. sty

    Declension

    Mutation

    Mutated forms of fail
    radical lenition eclipsis
    fail fhail bhfail

    Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
    All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

    Malay

    Etymology

    From EnglishCategory:Malay terms derived from English#FAIL fileCategory:Malay undefined derivations#FAIL.

    Noun

    fail (plural fail-fail)Category:Malay lemmas#FAILCategory:Malay nouns#FAILCategory:Malay entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. file (collection of papers)
    2. information or a document about someone, something etc.
    3. (computingCategory:ms:Computing#FAIL) file (aggregation of data on a storage device)

    Derived terms

    Verb

    fail (used in the form memfailkan)Category:Malay lemmas#FAILCategory:Malay verbs#FAILCategory:Malay entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. file (commit papers)
    2. file (to archive)
    3. (computingCategory:ms:Computing#FAIL) file (store computer data)
    4. (with untuk) file (make a formal request)

    Old Irish

    Verb

    failCategory:Old Irish non-lemma forms#FAILCategory:Old Irish verb forms#FAILCategory:Old Irish entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. alternative form of fil

    Turkish

    Etymology

    Inherited from Ottoman TurkishCategory:Turkish terms inherited from Ottoman Turkish#FAILCategory:Turkish terms derived from Ottoman Turkish#FAIL فاعل (fā'il),[1][2] from ArabicCategory:Turkish terms derived from Arabic#FAIL فَاعِل (fāʕil), active participle of فَعَلَ (faʕala, to do, to affect).[3]

    Category:Turkish terms derived from Arabic#FAILCategory:Turkish terms derived from the Arabic root ف ع ل#FAIL

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    fail (definite accusative faili, plural failler)Category:Turkish lemmas#FAILCategory:Turkish nouns#FAILCategory:Turkish entries with incorrect language header#FAILCategory:Pages with entries#FAILCategory:Pages with 6 entries#FAIL

    1. (grammarCategory:tr:Grammar#FAIL, archaicCategory:Turkish terms with archaic senses#FAIL) subject
      Synonym: özne
    2. (archaicCategory:Turkish terms with archaic senses#FAIL) agent, doer
    3. (lawCategory:tr:Law#FAIL) actor, perpetrator

    Declension

    Declension of fail
    singular plural
    nominative fail failler
    definite accusative faili failleri
    dative faile faillere
    locative failde faillerde
    ablative failden faillerden
    genitive failin faillerin
    Possessive forms
    nominative
    singular plural
    1st singular failim faillerim
    2nd singular failin faillerin
    3rd singular faili failleri
    1st plural failimiz faillerimiz
    2nd plural failiniz failleriniz
    3rd plural failleri failleri
    definite accusative
    singular plural
    1st singular failimi faillerimi
    2nd singular failini faillerini
    3rd singular failini faillerini
    1st plural failimizi faillerimizi
    2nd plural failinizi faillerinizi
    3rd plural faillerini faillerini
    dative
    singular plural
    1st singular failime faillerime
    2nd singular failine faillerine
    3rd singular failine faillerine
    1st plural failimize faillerimize
    2nd plural failinize faillerinize
    3rd plural faillerine faillerine
    locative
    singular plural
    1st singular failimde faillerimde
    2nd singular failinde faillerinde
    3rd singular failinde faillerinde
    1st plural failimizde faillerimizde
    2nd plural failinizde faillerinizde
    3rd plural faillerinde faillerinde
    ablative
    singular plural
    1st singular failimden faillerimden
    2nd singular failinden faillerinden
    3rd singular failinden faillerinden
    1st plural failimizden faillerimizden
    2nd plural failinizden faillerinizden
    3rd plural faillerinden faillerinden
    genitive
    singular plural
    1st singular failimin faillerimin
    2nd singular failinin faillerinin
    3rd singular failinin faillerinin
    1st plural failimizin faillerimizin
    2nd plural failinizin faillerinizin
    3rd plural faillerinin faillerinin

    Derived terms

    References

    1. Redhouse, James W. (1890), “فاعل”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon, Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 1361
    2. Kélékian, Diran (1911), “فاعل”, in Dictionnaire turc-français (in French), Constantinople: Mihran, page 883
    3. Nişanyan, Sevan (2002–), “fail”, in Nişanyan Sözlük

    Further reading

    • fail”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
    • Çağbayır, Yaşar (2007), “fail”, in Ötüken Türkçe Sözlük (in Turkish), volume 2, Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, page 1540
    • Avery, Robert et al., editors (2013), The Redhouse Dictionary Turkish/Ottoman English, 21st edition, Istanbul: Sev Yayıncılık, →ISBN
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