fall
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
How often you will meet it
Rank 570 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 34,195 times across 139,755 chapters — 0.016% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
verb
- descend in free fall under the influence of gravity The branch fell from the treeThe unfortunate hiker fell into a crevasse
- move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way also: descend, go down, come down The temperature is going downThe barometer is falling
- pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind fall into a trapShe fell ill
- come under, be classified or included also: come fall into a categoryThis comes under a new heading
- fall from clouds also: precipitate, come down rain, snow and sleet were fallingVesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum
- suffer defeat, failure, or ruin We must stand or fallfall by the wayside
fall 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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On any other occasion, I would not fall upon you like a bombshell.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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In an instant the sportsman let fall his gun, and Sugarlips ran affrighted towards the stile.
Sketches by Seymour — Volume 04 · Robert Seymour · Chapter 1
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Sleepless, I see the slumberous boors Their blurred eyes blink, their eyelids fall: Thought’s eager sight Aches—overbright!
John Marr and Other Poems · Herman Melville · Chapter 1
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In the greenish half-light of its calm freshness, the two towers let fall only the sound of their chimes.
The Dream · Émile Zola · Chapter 1
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The dominating, unhurried note rang, echoed, and began to die away as they saw Brant's hand fall on Bob Floyd's shoulder.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1