fall
- fall
{{11}}fall (n.) c.1200, "a falling;" see FALL (Cf. fall) (n.). O.E. noun form, fealle, meant "snare, trap." Sense of "autumn" (now only in U.S.) is 1660s, short for fall of the leaf (1540s). That of "cascade, waterfall" is from 1570s. Wrestling sense is from 1550s. Of a city under siege, etc., 1580s. Fall guy is from 1906.
{{12}}fall (v.) O.E. feallan (class VII strong verb; past tense feoll, pp. feallen) "to fall; fail, decay, die," from P.Gmc. *fallanan (Cf. O.Fris. falla, O.S. fallan, Du. vallen, O.N. falla, O.H.G. fallan, Ger. fallen), from PIE root *pol- "to fall" (Cf. Armenian p'ul "downfall," Lith. puola "to fall," O.Prus. aupallai "finds," lit. "falls upon"). Most of the figurative senses had developed in M.E. Meaning "to be reduced" (as temperature) is from 1650s. To fall in love is attested from 1520s; to fall asleep is late 14c. Fall through "come to naught" is from 1781. To fall for something is from 1903.
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Fall — (f[add]l), v. i. [imp. {Fell} (f[e^]l); p. p. {Fallen} (f[add]l n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Falling}.] [AS. feallan; akin to D. vallen, OS. & OHG. fallan, G. fallen, Icel. Falla, Sw. falla, Dan. falde, Lith. pulti, L. fallere to deceive, Gr. sfa llein… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Fall — bezeichnet: Absturz (Unfall), ein Sturz aus gewisser Höhe Freier Fall, die durch Gravitation bewirkte Bewegung eines Körpers Fall (Tau), in der Seemannssprache eine Leine zum Hochziehen und Herablassen von Segeln, Ruderblättern oder Schwertern… … Deutsch Wikipedia
Fall — Fall, n. 1. The act of falling; a dropping or descending be the force of gravity; descent; as, a fall from a horse, or from the yard of ship. [1913 Webster] 2. The act of dropping or tumbling from an erect posture; as, he was walking on ice, and… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Fall — Fall, v. t. 1. To let fall; to drop. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] For every tear he falls, a Trojan bleeds. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To sink; to depress; as, to fall the voice. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] 3. To diminish; to lessen or lower. [Obs.] [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
fall in — {v.} 1. To go and stand properly in a row like soldiers. * /The captain told his men to fall in./ Contrast: FALL OUT(3). 2. to collapse. * /The explosion caused the walls of the house to fall in./ … Dictionary of American idioms
fall in — {v.} 1. To go and stand properly in a row like soldiers. * /The captain told his men to fall in./ Contrast: FALL OUT(3). 2. to collapse. * /The explosion caused the walls of the house to fall in./ … Dictionary of American idioms
fall in — or[into place] {v. phr.} To suddenly make sense; find the natural or proper place for the missing pieces of a puzzle. * /When the detectives realized that a second man was seen at the place of the murder, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall… … Dictionary of American idioms
fall in — or[into place] {v. phr.} To suddenly make sense; find the natural or proper place for the missing pieces of a puzzle. * /When the detectives realized that a second man was seen at the place of the murder, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall… … Dictionary of American idioms
fall to — {v.} 1. To begin to work. * /The boys fell to and quickly cut the grass./ Syn.: TURN TO. 2. To begin to fight. * /They took out their swords and fell to./ 3. To begin to eat. * /The hungry boys fell to before everyone sat down./ 4. Begin; start.… … Dictionary of American idioms
fall to — {v.} 1. To begin to work. * /The boys fell to and quickly cut the grass./ Syn.: TURN TO. 2. To begin to fight. * /They took out their swords and fell to./ 3. To begin to eat. * /The hungry boys fell to before everyone sat down./ 4. Begin; start.… … Dictionary of American idioms
fall — I. verb (fell; fallen; falling) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English feallan; akin to Old High German fallan to fall and perhaps to Lithuanian pulti Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. to descend freely by the force of… … New Collegiate Dictionary
