failure — ONAD

failure /ˈfālyər, ˈfeɪljər

▸ noun

1 lack of success:

an economic policy that is doomed to failure

the failures of his policies.

▪ an unsuccessful person, enterprise, or thing:

bad weather had resulted in crop failures.

2 the omission of expected or required action:

their failure to comply with the basic rules.

▪ a lack or deficiency of a desirable quality:

a failure of imagination.

3 the action or state of not functioning:

symptoms of heart failure

an engine failure.

▪ a sudden cessation of power:

a sudden power failure.

▪ the collapse of a business:

business failures rose by 53%.

– ORIGIN mid 17th century (originally as failer, in the senses ‘non-occurrence’ and ‘cessation of supply’): from Anglo-Norman French failer for Old French faillir (see fail).