See Also: fail 1, verb(dictionary)
Too big too fail(finance)
fail(1)(dictionary)
Fail(finance)
fail(2)(dictionary)
too-big-too-fail(money)
Fail(money)
Fianna Fail(dictionary)
Fianna Fail(encyclopedia)
fail 2, noun(dictionary)

fail 1, verb (oh)



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1 ?not succeed?
2 ?not do something?
3 ?exam/test?
4 I fail to see/understand
5 ?company/business?
6 ?machine/body part?
7 ?health?
8 never fail to do something
9 your courage/will/nerve fails (you)
10 fail somebody
11 ?crops?
12 ?rains?
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[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: faillir, from Latin fallere 'to deceive, disappoint']
?NOT SUCCEED?
[I] to not succeed in achieving something
::It looks likely that the peace talks will fail.
fail in
::He failed in his attempt to regain the world title.
fail to do sth
::Doctors failed to save the girl's life.
::Millions of people have tried to quit smoking and failed miserably (=been completely unsuccessful) .
::his efforts to save his failing marriage
:: If all else fails , you may be advised to have an operation.
?NOT DO SOMETHING?
[I] to not do what is expected, needed, or wanted
fail to do sth
::The letter failed to arrive.
::Firms that fail to take advantage of the new technology will go out of business.
::The government are failing in their duty to protect people.
?EXAM/TEST?
a) [I and T] to not pass a test or examination
::I failed my driving test the first time I took it.
::Daniel failed maths but passed all his other subjects.
b) [T] to decide that someone has not passed a test or examination
::Her work was so bad that I had no choice but to fail her.
I fail to see/understand
formal used to show that you are annoyed by something that you do not accept or understand
::I fail to see why you find it so amusing.
?COMPANY/BUSINESS?
[I] if a company or business fails, it is unable to continue because of a lack of money
?MACHINE/BODY PART?
[I] if a part of a machine or an organ in your body fails, it stops working
::The engine failed on take-off.
::The hospital said that his kidneys were failing.
?HEALTH?
[I] if your sight, memory, health etc is failing, it is gradually getting weaker or is not as good as it was
:: Failing eyesight forced him to retire early.
never fail to do sth
to do something or happen so regularly that people expect it
::My grandson never fails to phone me on my birthday.
your courage/will/nerve fails (you)
if your courage etc fails, or if it fails you, you suddenly do not have it when you need it
::She had to leave immediately, before her courage failed her.
fail sb
to not do what someone has trusted you to do
-synonym let somebody down let somebody down
::I feel I've failed my children by not spending more time with them.
?CROPS?
[I] if crops fail, they do not grow or produce food, for example because of bad weather
?RAINS?
[I] if the rains (=a lot of rain that falls at a particular time each year) fail, they do not come when expected or it does not rain enough
-see also words fail me at word 1 (28)