fail
fail to do something; leave something undone
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,752 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 10,391 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.005% of every word in the library.
What it means
verb
- fail to do something; leave something undone also: neglect She failed to notice that her child was no longer in his cribThe secretary failed to call the customer and the company lost the account
- be unsuccessful also: go wrong, miscarry Where do today's public schools fail?The attempt to rescue the hostages failed miserably
- disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake also: betray His sense of smell failed him this timeHis strength finally failed him
- stop operating or functioning also: go bad, give way, die, give out, conk out, go The engine finally wentThe car died on the road
- be unable I fail to understand your motives
- judge unacceptable The teacher failed six students
fail in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Oh, should she fail to come---- Flam.
The White Devil · John Webster · Chapter 1
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He to fail in one of his habits!
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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While the moon is waning nightly, May the maiden bloom more brightly, May her freshness never fail!’
The Yellow Fairy Book: The Grateful Beasts · World Traditions (Celtic, Norse, Asian & Persian) · Chapter 1
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Yet, when they have separated, they never fail to hold one another up to ridicule and contempt.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1
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Her heart within her did not fail: She look’d into Lord Ronald’s eyes, And told him all her nurse’s tale.
Poems Every Child Should Know · Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) [Editor] Burt · Chapter 1