fail — to be unsuccessful in achieving something
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to be unsuccessful in achieving something
Pronunciation (IPA): /feɪl/
Example Sentences
- My phone battery always fails me during important calls.
- If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
- I failed so badly at cooking that even my dog refused to eat it.
fail
VERB[/feɪl/]
to be unsuccessful in achieving something
He swings the bat but fails to hit the ball.
The scale will fail to weigh the whale!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Latin 'fallere', meaning 'to deceive' or 'to disappoint'. Over time, the meaning evolved to encompass 'to fail' or 'to fall short', reflecting the notion of disappointing expectations as one fails to achieve a desired outcome.
Breakdown
Latin 'fallere' (to deceive, to disappoint) → Middle English 'failen' → Modern English 'fail'. The semantic shift from 'deceive' to 'fail' reflects the idea of deceiving expectations through inability to succeed.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My phone battery always fails me during important calls.”
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
“I failed so badly at cooking that even my dog refused to eat it.”
“Don't fail to submit your assignment by Friday.”
“My attempt to look cool in front of my crush was an epic fail.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.