fail

n. [ OF. faille, from failir. See Fail, v. i. ] 1. Miscarriage; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly superseded by failure or failing, except in the phrase without fail. “His highness' fail of issue.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Death; decease. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

pos>v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Failed p. pr. & vb. n. Failing. ] [ F. failir, fr. L. fallere, falsum, to deceive, akin to E. fall. See Fail, and cf. Fallacy, False, Fault. ] 1. To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence; to cease to be furnished in the usual or expected manner, or to be altogether cut off from supply; to be lacking; as, streams fail; crops fail. [ 1913 Webster ]

As the waters fail from the sea. Job xiv. 11. [ 1913 Webster ]

Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; -- used with of. [ 1913 Webster ]

If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not be attributed to their size. Berke. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink. [ 1913 Webster ]

When earnestly they seek
Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To perish; to die; -- used of a person. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Had the king in his last sickness failed. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. To be found wanting with respect to an action or a duty to be performed, a result to be secured, etc.; to miss; not to fulfill expectation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Take heed now that ye fail not to do this. Ezra iv. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. To come short of a result or object aimed at or desired ; to be baffled or frusrated. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our envious foe hath failed. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. To err in judgment; to be mistaken. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which ofttimes may succeed, so as perhaps
Shall grieve him, if I fail not. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. 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; as, many credit unions failed in the late 1980's. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Of. faillance, fr. faillir. ] Fault; failure; omission. [ Obs. ] Bp. Fell. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. unsuccessful. Opposite of successful.
Syn. -- failing. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. A failing short; a becoming deficient; failure; deficiency; imperfection; weakness; lapse; fault; infirmity; as, a mental failing. [ 1913 Webster ]

And ever in her mind she cast about
For that unnoticed failing in herself. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of becoming insolvent of bankrupt.

Syn. -- See Fault. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] A soft silk, heavier than a foulard and not glossy. [ 1913 Webster ]