Fall Definition
(theology) The sudden fall of humanity into a state of sin, as brought about by the transgression of Adam and Eve. [from 14th c.]
- To rely on:
fall back on old friends in time of need.
- To resort to:
I had to fall back on my savings when I was unemployed.
- To fail because of an inability to reconcile or choose between two courses of action.
- To fail miserably when attempting to achieve a result.
- To have no effect:
The jokes fell flat.
- To collide. Used of vessels.
- To clash:
fell foul of the law.
- To experience a major reduction in status or prestige.
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Fall
- fall back on
- fall between (the) two stools
- fall flat
- fall foul
- fall from grace
- fall into line
- fall in with
- fall on deaf ears
- fall over backward
- fall over (oneself)
- fall prey to
- fall short
- fall through the cracks
- fall to pieces
- fall about (laughing)
- fall (all) over oneself
- fall among
- fall apart
- fall away
- fall back
- fall back on
- fall behind
- fall down on
- fall for
- fall foul of
- fall in
- fall in with
- fall off
- fall on
- fall out
- fall short
- fall through
- fall to
- fall under
- ride for a fall
- take the fall
- the Fall (of Man)
- the fall of the cards
Origin of Fall
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From Middle English fallen, from Old English feallan (“to fall, fail, decay, die, attack”), from Proto-Germanic *fallaną (“to fall”), from Proto-Indo-European *pōl-, *spōl- (“to fall”). Cognate with West Frisian falle (“to fall”), Low German fallen (“to fall”), Dutch vallen (“to fall”), German fallen (“to fall”), Icelandic falla (“to fall”), Lithuanian pùlti, Ancient Greek σφάλλω (sphállō, “bring down, destroy, cause to stumble, deceive”).
From Wiktionary
Middle English fallen from Old English feallan
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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