fall
noun
Definitions of fall noun
reduction
- B1CountableUsually singular
The reduction in the size, amount, or strength of something.
a decrease in the cost of gasoline/a reduction in the jobless rate
We could discern the varying intensity of voices from the adjacent room.
The party experienced a decline in its approval ratings during the previous election.
season
- CountableUncountable
The season that follows summer and precedes winter, characterized by the ripening of fruits and crops and the shedding of leaves from trees.
I am scheduled to begin my university studies in the fall.
We are planning to return to New York next fall.
an autumnal day/a fall morning
accident
- B2CountableUsually singular
The act of unintentionally or accidentally dropping to the ground.
He suffered a significant fall, resulting in a back injury.
the collapse of the Berlin Wall
movement
- CountableUsually singular
An amount of something that descends to the ground or moves from a higher to a lower position.
a substantial amount of snowfall
defeat
- C1CountableUsually singular
The state of being defeated or losing power.
the decline and fall of the Roman Empire
Following the president's removal from power, the military assumed control of the city.
Phrases of fall noun
- falls
Often used in place names to refer to a wide waterfall, typically composed of many individual waterfalls.
• Niagara Falls is one of the most famous attractions in North America.
verb
Definitions of fall verb
accident
- A2Intransitive
To suddenly descend to the ground unintentionally or accidentally.
The path is very steep, so be cautious not to fall.
He had a bad fall and fractured his leg.
Athletes must learn the techniques of falling without sustaining injuries.
decrease
- B1Intransitive
To decrease in size, amount, or strength.
The demand for new vehicles has decreased due to the economic downturn.
His performance standards have declined this year.
Salaries within the public sector are projected to drop by 15 percent this year.
descend
- A2Intransitive
To descend to the ground or from a higher to a lower position.
The snow continued to fall steadily throughout the entire day.
It was October, and the leaves had begun to fall from the trees.
She was completely exhausted and collapsed into bed.
- Intransitive
When the curtain descends in a theatre, it signifies the conclusion of a play or performance.
The audience was still laughing as the final curtain descended.
classify
- IntransitiveVerb + adv/prep
To be classified within a particular group, subject, or area.
This material is categorized into three distinct classes.
Matters concerning discipline are not within my area of responsibility.
change
- B1IntransitiveLinking verbVerb + adv/prep
To transition from one condition to another.
He invariably falls asleep after consuming red wine.
She suddenly became unwell.
The book happened to open to the page featuring Venice.
defeat
- C2Intransitive
To be defeated or overthrown.
The president was removed from power during the military coup.
The government eventually collapsed after losing the support of the centrist parties.
- C2Intransitive
When a place is captured in war or an election by an opposing force or party.
Rome was conquered by the Vandals in 455 AD.
After a decade of Conservative leadership, the constituency was won by the Labour party in the last election.
- Intransitiveliterary
When soldiers are killed in combat.
Many brave soldiers were killed in the fight to defend the city.
During the war, he witnessed the deaths of many of his comrades in battle.
- Intransitive
In cricket, the end of a player's turn to bat.
Ten wickets were lost in 22 overs.
occur
- C2Intransitive
To occur at a specific time or in a particular location.
Easter is unusually late this year.
My birthday will be on a Friday this year.
Night had already fallen by the time we reached the camp.
hang
- C2IntransitiveVerb + adv/prep
To hang down in a loose manner.
The boy's golden hair fell in curls around his shoulders.
The veil reached almost to her waist.
Phrases of fall verb
- fall to your knees
to lower oneself to the ground onto one's knees, typically as a gesture of deep respect, reverence, or gratitude.
• The crowd fell to their knees and began to pray.
- fall flat on your face
To fall down and land with one's face hitting the ground; often used to describe a fall where the face makes first contact with the surface.
• He slipped on the ice and fell flat on his face with a loud thud.
- your face falls
To suddenly look unhappy or disappointed.
• His face fell when he learned that he had missed the promotion.
Idioms
- fall in love
To develop strong feelings of affection for someone and begin to love them, often marking the beginning of a romantic relationship.
• She fell in love with him instantly after their first meeting.
- fall into place
To proceed smoothly and successfully without any problems.
• With more information coming to light, all the pieces of the complex investigation started to fall into place.
- fall foul of something
To unintentionally break a rule or law.
• The company fell foul of the law for failing to comply with the new environmental regulations.
- fall between two stools
To fail to achieve either of two intended aims or outcomes.
• The new policy tried to increase efficiency without increasing costs, but it fell between two stools.
- fall on deaf ears
To be ignored when giving a suggestion or warning.
• Despite my repeated warnings not to swim there, my words clearly fell on deaf ears.
- fall by the wayside
To fail to finish an activity or for something to be abandoned or no longer used.
• Many aspiring writers fall by the wayside during their writing careers.
- fall in line
To conform to rules, standards, or expectations; to start behaving in accordance with established norms.
• The company expects all employees to fall in line with the new safety protocols.
- fall on hard times
To experience a period of financial difficulty and hardship.
• After losing his job, he began to fall on hard times.
- fall flat
To fail to produce the intended or expected effect; to not be successful or well-received.
• His speech attempted to start with humor, but the jokes fell flat.
- fall into the wrong hands
To be acquired or controlled by someone who should not have it, often leading to danger or harm.
• We must ensure that this sensitive information does not fall into the wrong hands.
- fall from grace
A loss of status, respect, or favor, usually due to some misdeed or mistake.
• The once-praised athlete experienced a fall from grace after the scandal was revealed.
- fall short
to fail to meet a required or expected standard or amount, resulting in disappointment.
• The company's earnings fell short of analysts' expectations.
- fall prey/victim to something/someone
to suddenly begin to suffer harm or become a victim due to something or someone.
• Many companies fell prey to online scams during the economic downturn.
- take a/the fall for someone
To accept blame or punishment for something that someone else did, often to protect them.
• He decided to take the fall for his friend in order to protect him.
- fall into the/someone's trap
To make an error or encounter a challenging situation as a result of one's actions or by placing trust in someone.
• Do not fall into the trap of believing that you can learn a foreign language without putting in any effort.
- nearly/almost fall off your chair
To be extremely surprised or shocked by something.
• He nearly fell off his chair when he heard he had won the lottery.
- fall into someone's arms
To embrace someone tightly, usually to express love or affection.
• After a long separation, they finally met at the airport and fell into each other's arms.
- fall foul of someone
To have a serious disagreement or conflict with someone.
• He fell foul of his boss for refusing to follow the new regulations.
Phrasal Verbs of fall
- fall in with something
to agree with and endorse a plan or proposal
• She eventually fell in with the plan and followed the team's direction.
- fall apart
to break into fragments
• Over time, the old house started to fall apart.
- fall back on something
to utilize something, particularly a financial resource, when other options are exhausted
• When her savings ran out, she had to fall back on her parents for financial support.
- fall away
When portions of something detach and descend to the ground.
• The leaves on the tree fall away gradually in autumn.
- fall through
to not come to fruition or be successful
• Our planned vacation fell through due to the bad weather.
- fall off
When the quantity, rate, or quality of something diminishes, it is described as falling off.
• Every year, the number of students in the tutoring center falls off, reflecting a decline in educational demand.
- fall from something
When words or sounds come from your lips, meaning you speak or make sounds.
• He sang loudly on stage, with notes falling from his lips.
- fall for something
to be deceived into accepting something false as true
• Don't be fooled by his flashy promises; you shouldn't fall for something like that.
- fall out
When a tooth or hair loosens and detaches from your mouth or scalp.
• As she aged, she began to fall out her teeth.
- fall behind
to not complete something as quickly as needed or within the designated timeframe
• If you don't speed up, you will fall behind schedule.
- fall over
When a person falls over, they tumble to the ground.
• The puppy ran too fast in the park and fell over.
- fall down on something
to perform poorly in a certain area compared to other aspects
• The team fell down on time management during this project.
- fall about
to be unable to stop laughing uncontrollably
• His joke had everyone falling about with laughter.
- fall back
to retreat swiftly from someone or something, often due to fear.
• Faced with the sudden danger, they fell back swiftly without a second thought.
- fall down
to tumble to the ground
• The child fell down while playing in the park.
- fall in
When a roof or ceiling collapses due to damage, it descends to the ground.
• After the storm, the roof collapsed due to accumulated water.
- fall in with someone
to form a friendship with someone
• At the new school, I was glad to fall in with some students who share similar interests.
- fall for someone
to quickly develop intense romantic feelings for an individual
• She fell for him the moment she laid eyes on him.
- fall into something
to commence an activity, often unexpectedly and without prior planning
• At the party, we fell into a discussion unexpectedly, which turned into a debate.
- fall on/upon someone
to launch an unexpected attack on someone
• The sudden threat caused panic in the team as the enemy fell upon them out of nowhere.
- fall on/upon something
When your eyes or sight land on something, you observe and take note of it.
• When my eyes fell upon the painting, I was immediately captivated by its beauty.
- fall on someone
When suspicion is directed towards a person, others believe they might have committed a wrongdoing.
• During the investigation, suspicion ultimately fell on the suspect.
- fall over something/someone
to lay over something or someone, providing coverage or concealment
• In the wild, we have to be careful not to fall over the bushes.
- fall to someone
to become someone's responsibility or duty
• Since he was absent, the important task fell to me.