Meaning

15 senses
  1. (intransitive)To be unsuccessful.

    Throughout my life, I have always failed.

    scheitern, keinen Erfolg haben, ohne Erfolg bleiben

    терпе́ть неуда́чуterpétʹ neudáču, потерпе́ть неуда́чуpoterpétʹ neudáču, прова́ливатьсяproválivatʹsja

    зазна́ти невда́чіzaznáty nevdáči

    be unsuccessful

  2. (transitive)Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)

    The truck failed to start.

    fehlschlagen

    терпе́ть неуда́чуterpétʹ neudáču, потерпе́ть неуда́чуpoterpétʹ neudáču, не справля́тьсяne spravljátʹsja

  3. (transitive)To neglect.

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

    пренебрега́тьprenebregátʹ, пренебре́чьprenebréčʹ

  4. (intransitive)Of a machine, etc.: to cease to operate correctly.

    After running five minutes, the engine failed.

    versagen

    выходи́ть из стро́яvyxodítʹ iz strója, вы́йти из стро́яvýjti iz strója, не рабо́татьne rabótatʹ

  5. (transitive)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.

    prove insufficient

  6. (ambitransitive)To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.

    I failed English last year.

    durchfallen

    провалитьprovalitʹ

  7. (transitive)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.

    fail to get a passing grade

  8. 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.

    fall short in what is expected

  9. (intransitive)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.

    become bankrupt or insolvent; fail financially and close

  10. (obsolete, transitive)To miss attaining; to lose.

  11. (archaic)To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of.

  12. (archaic)To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.

Examples

1744 sentences
  1. Don't fail to call me back.

    Обов'язково передзвони мені.

    ruНе забудь мне перезвонить.

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  2. Tom failed to come on time.

    Тому не вдалося прийти вчасно.

    ruТому не удалось прийти вовремя.

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  3. Without your help, I would've failed.

    Без твоєї допомоги, я би зазнав невдачі.

    ruБез твоей помощи у меня бы ничего не получилось.

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  4. Why did Tom fail in business?

    Чому Том зазнав невдачі у бізнесі?

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  5. Without your help, I would have failed.

    Без твоєї допомоги, я би зазнав невдачі.

    ruБез вашей помощи я бы потерпел неудачу.

    deOhne deine Hilfe hätte ich versagt.

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Translations

9 languages
Українська
By meaning 1
intransitive: be unsuccessful:
Русский
By meaning 6
intransitive: be unsuccessful:
transitive: not achieve a stated goal:
be negligent:
cease to operate:
to receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits:
cause to fail:
Deutsch
By meaning 4
intransitive: be unsuccessful:
transitive: not achieve a stated goal:
cease to operate:
to receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits:

Origin

Inherited from Middle English failen, borrowed from Old French falir, from Vulgar Latin *f

Inherited from Middle English failen, borrowed from Old French falir, from Vulgar Latin *fallire, alteration of Latin fallere (“to deceive, disappoint”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰāl- (“to lie, deceive”) or Proto-Indo-European *(s)gʷʰh₂el- (“to stumble”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

fails, failing, failed, failed
Base formfail · to fail
3rd person singularfails
Present participlefailing
Past simplefailed
Past participlefailed

regular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, theyfail
he, she, itfails

Past simpleLesson

all personsfailed

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, theyhave failed
he, she, ithas failed

Future simple (will)Lesson

all personswill fail

Phrasal verbs

2 phrasal verbs

Synonyms

35 synonyms
to receive non-passing grades in academic pursuits:flunkB1
to become deficient:goA1bombB1bustB1tankB1conk
Close in meaning

Antonyms

3 antonyms
to be unsuccessful:succeedA2
managepass

Word family

29 related words

Collocations

12 patterns
  • failed the test
  • failed the exam
  • would have failed
  • failed the examination
  • who failed the
  • student who failed
  • failing failing
  • without fail
  • failed miserably
  • afraid to fail
  • one who failed
  • never fails to

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
fail — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto