English → Chinese
fail
/BrE feɪl 
, AmE feɪl /
A intransitive verb
1 (not succeed) 失败;
the treatment failed 治疗没有效果;
to fail in sth; 未能做到某事;
to fail in one's duty 失职;
they failed in an attempt to break the record 他们试图破纪录，但没能成功
2 (not pass exam) 不及格;
he failed in chemistry/his exams 他化学／考试不及格
3 (stop working) «engine, system» 出故障; «heart, kidney» 衰竭;
his brakes failed as he was coming down the hill 他下山时刹车失灵了;
the power failed throughout the area 整个地区都停电了
4 (become weak) 衰退;
his health has been failing over the years 这些年来他的健康每况愈下;
I want to finish this picture before the light fails 我想在天黑之前完成这幅画
5 (be insufficient) 缺乏;
the crops failed last year 去年庄稼歉收;
the water supply failed during the drought 干旱期间供水不足
6 (go bankrupt) 破产;
several banks failed that year 那年有数家银行倒闭了
B transitive verb
1 (let down) 使失望;
he felt he had failed his family 他感到辜负了家人;
his courage failed him 他失去了勇气;
my memory often fails me these days 近来我经常忘事;
words fail me! 我不知道该怎么说！
2 (not meet standard) 未通过 ‹exam, interview, test›; 未通过…的考试 ‹subject›; 评定…为不及格 ‹person›;
to fail French 法语考试不及格;
the examiner failed all the candidates 这位考官给所有的考生都打了不及格;
to fail a drugs test 没有通过药检
3 (not complete, not do) 未能;
to fail to do sth; 未能做某事;
he failed to keep his word 他没有信守诺言;
it never failed to irritate him that she was taller than he was 她比他高，这一直让他耿耿于怀;
I fail to understand why he is so aggressive 我不明白他为何如此好斗;
she cannot have failed to be aware of it 她不可能不知道这事;
the patient's ulcer failed to respond to treatment 治疗对病人的溃疡不起作用
C noun
1 School, University 不及格;
he got a pass in maths and a fail in chemistry 他数学及格了，但化学不及格
2 without fail 必定;
she writes every week, without fail 她每周都写，从不间断;
I promise to come, without fail 我保证来，决不食言