fall

Nouns

  • (n) the season when the leaves fall from the trees
    • in the fall of 1973
    autumn,
  • (n) a sudden drop from an upright position
    • he had a nasty spill on the ice
    tumble, spill,
  • (n) the lapse of mankind into sinfulness because of the sin of Adam and Eve
    • women have been blamed ever since the Fall
  • (n) a downward slope or bend declivity, downslope, declination, declension, decline, descent,
  • (n) a lapse into sin; a loss of innocence or of chastity
    • a fall from virtue
  • (n) a sudden decline in strength or number or importance
    • the fall of the House of Hapsburg
    downfall,
  • (n) a movement downward
    • the rise and fall of the tides
  • (n) the act of surrendering (usually under agreed conditions)
    • they were protected until the capitulation of the fort
    capitulation, surrender,
  • (n) the time of day immediately following sunset
    • he loved the twilight
    • they finished before the fall of night
    crepuscle, crepuscule, dusk, evenfall, gloam, gloaming, nightfall, twilight,
  • (n) when a wrestler's shoulders are forced to the mat pin,
  • (n) a free and rapid descent by the force of gravity
    • it was a miracle that he survived the drop from that height
    drop,
  • (n) a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity
    • a drop of 57 points on the Dow Jones index
    • there was a drop in pressure in the pulmonary artery
    • a dip in prices
    • when that became known the price of their stock went into free fall
    free fall, drop, dip,

Verbs

  • (v) descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
    • The branch fell from the tree
    • The unfortunate hiker fell into a crevasse
  • (v) move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
    • The temperature is going down
    • The barometer is falling
    • The curtain fell on the diva
    • Her hand went up and then fell again
    come down, descend, go down,
  • (v) pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind
    • fall into a trap
    • She fell ill
    • They fell out of favor
    • Fall in love
    • fall asleep
    • fall prey to an imposter
    • fall into a strange way of thinking
    • she fell to pieces after she lost her work
  • (v) come under, be classified or included
    • fall into a category
    • This comes under a new heading
    come,
  • (v) fall from clouds
    • rain, snow and sleet were falling
    • Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum
    come down, precipitate,
  • (v) suffer defeat, failure, or ruin
    • We must stand or fall
    • fall by the wayside
  • (v) die, as in battle or in a hunt
    • Many soldiers fell at Verdun
    • Several deer have fallen to the same gun
    • The shooting victim fell dead
  • (v) touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly
    • Light fell on her face
    • The sun shone on the fields
    • The light struck the golden necklace
    • A strange sound struck my ears
    shine, strike,
  • (v) be captured
    • The cities fell to the enemy
  • (v) occur at a specified time or place
    • Christmas falls on a Monday this year
    • The accent falls on the first syllable
  • (v) decrease in size, extent, or range
    • The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester
    • The cabin pressure fell dramatically
    • her weight fell to under a hundred pounds
    • his voice fell to a whisper
    decrease, diminish, lessen,
  • (v) yield to temptation or sin
    • Adam and Eve fell
  • (v) lose office or power
    • The government fell overnight
    • The Qing Dynasty fell with Sun Yat-sen
  • (v) to be given by assignment or distribution
    • The most difficult task fell on the youngest member of the team
    • The onus fell on us
    • The pressure to succeed fell on the youngest student
  • (v) move in a specified direction
    • The line of men fall forward
  • (v) be due
    • payments fall on the 1st of the month
  • (v) lose one's chastity
    • a fallen woman
  • (v) to be given by right or inheritance
    • The estate fell to the oldest daughter
  • (v) come into the possession of
    • The house accrued to the oldest son
    accrue,
  • (v) fall to somebody by assignment or lot
    • The task fell to me
    • It fell to me to notify the parents of the victims
    light,
  • (v) be inherited by
    • The estate fell to my sister
    • The land returned to the family
    • The estate devolved to an heir that everybody had assumed to be dead
    devolve, return, pass,
  • (v) slope downward
    • The hills around here fall towards the ocean
  • (v) lose an upright position suddenly
    • The vase fell over and the water spilled onto the table
    • Her hair fell across her forehead
    fall down,
  • (v) drop oneself to a lower or less erect position
    • She fell back in her chair
    • He fell to his knees
  • (v) fall or flow in a certain way
    • This dress hangs well
    • Her long black hair flowed down her back
    flow, hang,
  • (v) assume a disappointed or sad expression
    • Her face fell when she heard that she would be laid off
    • his crest fell
  • (v) be cast down
    • his eyes fell
  • (v) come out; issue
    • silly phrases fell from her mouth
  • (v) be born, used chiefly of lambs
    • The lambs fell in the afternoon
  • (v) begin vigorously
    • The prisoners fell to work right away
  • (v) go as if by falling
    • Grief fell from our hearts
  • (v) come as if by falling
    • Night fell
    • Silence fell
    descend, settle,

Synonyms

autumn tumble spill come down descend go down declivity downslope declination declension decline descent come precipitate downfall capitulation surrender shine strike crepuscle crepuscule dusk evenfall gloam gloaming nightfall twilight pin drop decrease diminish lessen free fall dip accrue light devolve return pass fall down flow hang settle

Antonyms

ascend go up rise move up lift arise come up uprise acclivity ascent climb upgrade raise rising ascension increase

See also

cave in collapse fall in give way founder give break fall for fall flat fall through flop lag fall back fall behind dawdle come apart fall apart split up separate crumble drop away fall away slip drop off recede lose

Words of close approximity

FAA fab fad FAE fag fan FAO FAQ FAR FAS fat fax fay
face fact fade fado Fahd fail fain fair fake fame fang FARC fare farm faro fart fast fate faun faux fawn faze
Falla fallacious fallaciousness fallacy fallal fall all over fall apart fall armyworm fall asleep fall away fallback fall back fall behind fall-blooming fall-blooming hydrangea fallboard fall-board fall by the wayside fall cankerworm fall dandelion fall down fallen fallen arch fall equinox faller fall flat fall-flowering fall for fall from grace fall guy fallibility fallible fall in falling falling off falling out fall in line fall in love fall into fall into place falloff fall off Fall of Man fall open Fallopian tube Fallopio Fallopius Fallot Fallot's syndrome Fallot's tetralogy fallout fall out fallout shelter fall over fall over backwards fallow fallow deer falls fall short fall short of fall through fall under fall upon fall webworm