fail over

verb

To automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

“If the Web server crashes, we can fail over to the spare in less than a second.”

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Meanings

verbfail over (third-person singular simple present fails over, present participle failing over, simple past and past participle failed over)

present singular third person fails over · participle present failing over · participle past failed over · past failed over

  1. computingTo automatically switch processing from a failed component in a critical system to its live spare or backup component.

    If the Web server crashes, we can fail over to the spare in less than a second.

Cite this entry
APA

fail over. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fail%20over

MLA

“fail over.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fail%20over. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fail over,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fail%20over.

Source: fail over on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.