fail in English: To not do something that you tried to do, or to not pass a test. (verb)

Translation

To not do something that you tried to do, or to not pass a test.

Word origin

From Old French faillir, meaning to be lacking or to fall short.

Origin: Old French
Root: faillir

Grammar

Verb typeregular (fail, fails, failed)

Examples

.

Here "fail" means to not pass or not do something.

.

"Fails" is the form used with he, she, or it.

.

"Failed" is the past form of "fail".

Related words

try

To try is to make an effort to do something, even if it may not work.

lose

To stop having something, or to not win a game or contest.

succeed

To do well the thing that you were trying to do.

pass

To go past someone or something, or to give a thing to another person.

stop

To not move or not do something any more, or to make this happen.

attempt

A try at doing something, when you do not know yet if it will work.

badly

In a poor way, not well; or very much.

disappoint

To make someone feel sad because something was not as good as they hoped.

Where this fits

The 1,000 most common English words

Where this word sits in the core vocabulary, and what to learn around it.

English vocabulary by CEFR level

How many words each level actually needs, with real counts.

Used in

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