Fall

Fall, fawl, v.i. to drop down: to descend by the force of gravity: to become prostrate: (of a river) to discharge itself: to slope down: to sink as if dead: to vanish: to die away: to lose strength, subside: to decline in power, wealth, value, or reputation: to be overthrown: to be compelled to yield: to become downcast: to sink into sin, to yield to temptation: to depart from the faith: to become dejected: to pass gently into any state, as 'to fall in love,' 'to fall asleep:' to befall: to issue, occur: to enter upon with haste or vehemence: to rush: to be dropped in birth: to be required or necessary: to fall away:—pr.p. fall′ing; pa.t. fell; pa.p. fallen (faw′ln).—n. the act of falling, in any of its senses: descent by gravity, a dropping down: that which falls—a trap-door, &c.: as much as comes down at one time, as 'a fall of snow,' &c.: overthrow: death: descent from a better to a worse position: slope or declivity: descent of water: a cascade: length of a fall: outlet of a river: decrease in value: a sinking of the voice: the time when the leaves fall, autumn: a bout at wrestling: the yielding of a city or stronghold to the enemy: that which falls: a lapse into sin, esp. that of Adam and Eve, called 'the Fall:' a kind of collar worn in the 17th century.—adj. Fall′en, in a degraded state, ruined.—ns. Fall′ing, that which falls; Fall′ing-band (see Band); Fall′ing-sick′ness, epilepsy; Fall′ing-star, a meteor; Fall′ing-stone, a portion of an exploded meteor; Fall′trank, a medicine compounded of certain aromatic and astringent Swiss plants, of repute for accidents; Fall′-trap, a trap which operates by falling.—Fall-a, to begin; Fall across, to meet by chance; Fall among, to come into the midst of; Fall away, to decline gradually, to languish: to grow lean: to revolt or apostatise; Fall back, to retreat, give way; Fall back, fall edge, no matter what may happen; Fall back upon, to have recourse to some expedient or resource in reserve; Fall behind, to slacken, to be outstripped; Fall flat, to fail completely, as a shopman in attracting attention or purchasers, a new book, &c.; Fall foul, to come in collision: to quarrel (with of); Fall in (with), to concur or agree: to comply: to place themselves in order, as soldiers; Fall off, to separate or be broken: to die away, to perish: to revolt or apostatise; Fall on, to begin eagerly: to make an attack: to meet; Fall on one's feet, to come well out of a difficulty, to gain any unexpected good fortune; Fall out, to quarrel: to happen or befall; Fall over (Shak.), to go over to the enemy; Fall short, to be deficient (with of); Fall through, to fail, come to nothing; Fall to, to begin hastily and eagerly: to apply one's self to; Fall upon, to attack: to attempt: to rush against.—Try a fall, to take a bout at wrestling. [A.S. feallan; Ger. fallen; prob. conn. with L. fallĕre, to deceive.]