English▸ verb [no object]
1 be unsuccessful in achieving one's goal:
he failed in his attempt to secure election
[with infinitive] they failed to be ranked in the top ten.
▪ [with object] be unsuccessful in (an examination, test, or interview):
she failed her finals.
▪ [with object] (of a person or a commodity) be unable to meet the standards set by (a test of quality or eligibility):
the player has failed a drug test.
▪ [with object] judge (someone, especially in an examination) not to have passed:
the criteria used to pass or fail the candidate.
2 neglect to do something:
[with infinitive] the firm failed to give adequate risk warnings.
▪ [with infinitive] behave in a way contrary to hopes or expectations by not doing something:
commuter chaos has again failed to materialize.
▪ (cannot fail to be/do something) used to express a strong belief that something must be the case:
you cannot fail to be deeply impressed.
▪ (never fail to do something) used to indicate that something invariably happens:
such comments never failed to annoy him.
▪ [with object] desert or let down (someone):
at the last moment her nerve failed her.
3 break down; cease to work well:
a truck whose brakes had failed.
▪ become weaker or of poorer quality; die away:
the light began to fail
(as adjective failing) his failing health.
▪ (especially of a rain or a crop or supply) be lacking or insufficient when needed or expected:
the drought means crops have failed.
▪ (of a business or a person) be obliged to cease trading because of lack of funds; become bankrupt:
he lost his savings when the store failed.
▸ noun a grade that is not high enough to pass an examination or test.
– PHRASES
too big to fail
(of a financial organization or other business) so important to the economy of a country that a government or central bank must take measures to prevent it from ceasing to trade or going bankrupt:
absolutely predictably; with no exception:
too big to fail
(of a financial organization or other business) so important to the economy of a country that a government or central bank must take measures to prevent it from ceasing to trade or going bankrupt:
he caused a stir earlier this month when he said that no company was too big to fail.
without fail absolutely predictably; with no exception:
he writes every week without fail.
– ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French faillir (verb), faille (noun), based on Latin fallere ‘deceive’.