fail

present singular third person fails · participle present failing · participle past failed · past failed · first person past singular failed · archaic present second person singular failest · past second person singular failed · archaic past second person singular failedst · present singular third person fails · archaic present singular third person faileth · past singular third person failed · past plural failed · past subjunctive failed · participle present failing · participle past failed · alternative obsolete faile

1. intransitiveTo be unsuccessful.

   Throughout my life, I have always failed.

   2 more examples

   If they ſhoulde gyue battayle it was to be doubted, leaſt through treaſon amõgſt themſelues, the armie ſhould be betrayed into the enimies hands, the which would not fayle to execute all kinde of crueltie in the ſlaughter of the whole nation.

   1577, Raphaell Holinshed, “The Historie of Englande”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC, page 249, column 1

   As the world’s drug habit shows, governments are failing in their quest to monitor every London window-box and Andean hillside for banned plants. But even that Sisyphean task looks easy next to the fight against synthetic drugs. No sooner has a drug been blacklisted than chemists adjust their recipe and start churning out a subtly different one.

   2013 August 10, “A new prescription”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848

   Synonyms: miscarry, founder, come to nought, come to nothing, crash and burn, fall flat, fall on one's face, go downhill

2. transitiveNot to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)

   The truck failed to start.

3. transitiveTo neglect.

   The report fails to take into account all the mitigating factors.

   1 more example

   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.

   1960 December, B. Perren, “The role of the Great Central—present and future”, in Trains Illustrated, page 765

4. intransitiveOf a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.

   After running five minutes, the engine failed.

   1 more example

   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.

   2021 December 29, Dominique Louis, “Causal analysis: crashworthiness at Sandilands”, in RAIL, number 947, page 33

5. transitiveTo 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.

   4 more examples

   There shall not fail thee a man on the throne.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Kings 2:4

   A poor Irish Widow […] went forth with her three children, bare of all resource, to solicit help from the Charitable Establishments of that City. At this Charitable Establishment and then at that she was refused; referred from one to the other, helped by none; — till she had exhausted them all; till her strength and heart failed her: she sank down in typhus-fever […]

   1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. II, Gospel of Mammonism”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book III (The Modern Worker)

   That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired. And if the arts of humbleness failed him, he overcame you by sheer impudence.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter II, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   I think... I might've... failed Pomni. Just like I failed Jax. Try too hard to get on their good side, and then I just... end up pushing them away! And then they end up hating me!

   2025 August 15, Gooseworx, “They All Get Guns” (18:32 from the start), in The Amazing Digital Circus, episode 6, spoken by Ragatha (Amanda Hufford)

6. ambitransitiveTo receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.

   I failed English last year.

   Synonyms: flunk

7. transitiveTo 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. obsoletetransitiveTo miss attaining; to lose.

   though that seat of earthly bliss be failed

   1671, John Milton, “The Fourth Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC

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.

   2 more examples

   as the waters fail from the sea

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Job 14:11

   Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign.

   1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]

   Synonyms: go, bomb, bust, conk, tank

10. archaicTo be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.

    If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not to be attributed to their size.

    1757, Edmund Burke, A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful

11. archaicTo fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.

    When earnestly they seek / Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail.

    1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

12. archaicTo deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.

    A sick man fails.

13. obsoleteTo perish; to die; used of a person.

    had the king in his last sickness failed

    1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]

14. obsoleteTo err in judgment; to be mistaken.

    Which ofttimes may succeed, so as perhaps / Shall grieve him, if I fail not.

    1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC

15. intransitiveTo 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.

    "But you cannot tell where she went on leaving here?" Robert asked, despondingly. "No, sir; missus says she believes the lady failed, and that she left sudden like, and didn't want her address to be known in the neighbourhood."

    1862, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley's Secret

plural fails · alternative obsolete faile · alternative obsolete fayle

1. countableuncountableA failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).
2. countableuncountableA failing grade in an academic examination.
3. UScountableslanguncountableA failure (something incapable of success).
4. slanguncountablePoor quality; substandard workmanship.

   The project was full of fail.

comparative more fail · superlative most fail · alternative obsolete faile · alternative obsolete fayle

1. USslangUnsuccessful; inadequate; unacceptable in some way.

plural fails · alternative feal

1. A piece of turf cut from grassland.

plural Fails

1. A surname.