fail

fail1 [ feıl ] verb ***

▸ 1 be unsuccessful

▸ 2 not do something expected

▸ 3 not do well enough

▸ 4 no longer work/continue

▸ 5 lose quality/ability

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) intransitive to be unsuccessful when you try to do something:

Most people who try to lose weight fail dismally.

fail to do something: They have failed to come up with any practical solutions.

fail in: He failed in his attempt to get compensation.

a ) used about actions or plans:

Attempts to revive him failed.

It looks as if the negotiations are going to fail.

─ opposite SUCCEED

2. ) intransitive to not do something that people expect you to do:

fail to do something: She failed to give any explanation for her actions.

He failed to come home at the usual time.

fail in your duty/obligation: The government is failing in its duty to protect people.

a ) never fail to do something used for emphasizing that someone or something always does something that you expect them to do:

This recipe never fails to impress people.

You never fail to astonish me!

b ) transitive if someone fails you, they do not do what they promised or what you trusted them to do:

He felt he had failed his teammates.

The political system has failed us.

3. ) intransitive or transitive to be unsuccessful in achieving a satisfactory level or standard:

The new airplane failed a safety test.

She failed all her tests.

fail on: I failed on the written part of my driver's test.

a ) transitive to decide that someone or something has not achieved a satisfactory score or standard:

Teachers failed nearly 30% of the students.

─ opposite PASS

4. ) intransitive if something such as a machine or an organ in your body fails, it no longer works correctly:

The brakes failed and the van crashed into a tree.

a ) if someone's health is failing, they are becoming weak and less able to do things:

He is old now and his health is starting to fail.

b ) if something such as a business or a relationship fails, it has a lot of problems and can no longer continue:

If interest rates go up, more small businesses will fail.

c ) if crops fail, they do not finish growing and cannot be used for food

d ) if the rains fail, it does not rain during the usual season or time of the year

5. ) transitive MAINLY LITERARY if a quality or ability fails you, you suddenly lose it:

At the last minute, her courage failed her.

I fail to see/understand SPOKEN FORMAL

used for saying in an annoyed way that you do not understand something:

I fail to see why anybody would marry a man like that.

if all else fails

used for saying that, if other methods do not succeed, there is one last thing that you can try to do:

If all else fails she can ask her father for money.

fail

fail 2 [ feıl ] noun

without fail

1. ) used for emphasizing that something always happens in the same way or at the same time:

He calls me every Sunday night without fail.

2. ) used for emphasizing that someone must do something:

I want to see you here at 8 o'clock without fail!