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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
fall    Audio Help   [fawl] Pronunciation Key verb, fell, fall·en, fall·ing, noun
–verb (used without object)
1.to drop or descend under the force of gravity, as to a lower place through loss or lack of support.
2.to come or drop down suddenly to a lower position, esp. to leave a standing or erect position suddenly, whether voluntarily or not: to fall on one's knees.
3.to become less or lower; become of a lower level, degree, amount, quality, value, number, etc.; decline: The temperature fell ten degrees. Stock prices fell to a new low for the year.
4.to subside or abate.
5.extend downward; hang down: Her hair falls to her shoulders.
6.to become lowered or directed downward, as the eyes: My eyes fell before his steady gaze.
7.to become lower in pitch or volume: Her voice fell, and she looked about in confusion.
8.to succumb to temptation or sin, esp. to become unchaste or to lose one's innocence.
9.to lose status, dignity, position, character, etc.
10.to succumb to attack: The city fell to the enemy.
11.to be overthrown, as a government.
12.to drop down wounded or dead, esp. to be slain: to fall in battle.
13.to pass into some physical, mental, or emotional condition: to fall asleep; to fall in love.
14.to envelop or come as if by dropping, as stillness or night.
15.to issue forth: Witty remarks fall easily from his lips.
16.to come by lot or chance: The chore fell to him.
17.to come by chance into a particular position: to fall among thieves.
18.to come to pass, occur, or become at a certain time: Christmas falls on a Monday this year. The rent falls due the first of every month.
19.to have its proper place: The accent falls on the last syllable.
20.to come by right: The inheritance fell to the only living relative.
21.to be naturally divisible (usually fol. by into): The story fell into two distinct parts.
22.to lose animation; appear disappointed, as the face: His face fell when he heard the bad news.
23.to slope or extend in a downward direction: The field falls gently to the river.
24.to be directed, as light, sight, etc., on something: His eyes fell upon the note on the desk.
25.to collapse, as through weakness, damage, poor construction, or the like; topple or sink: The old tower fell under its own weight. The cake fell when he slammed the oven door.
26.(of an animal, esp. a lamb) to be born: Two lambs fell yesterday.
–verb (used with object)
27.to fell (a tree, animal, etc.).
–noun
28.an act or instance of falling or dropping from a higher to a lower place or position.
29.that which falls or drops: a heavy fall of rain.
30.the season of the year that comes after summer and before winter; autumn.
31.a becoming less; a lowering or decline; a sinking to a lower level: the fall of the Roman Empire.
32.the distance through which anything falls: It is a long fall to the ground from this height.
33.Usually, falls. a cataract or waterfall.
34.downward slope or declivity: the gentle rise and fall of the meadow.
35.a falling from an erect position, as to the ground: to have a bad fall.
36.a hanging down: a fall of long hair.
37.a succumbing to temptation; lapse into sin.
38.the Fall, (sometimes lowercase) Theology. the lapse of human beings into a state of natural or innate sinfulness through the sin of Adam and Eve.
39.Slang. an arrest by the police.
40.surrender or capture, as of a city.
41.proper place: the fall of an accent on a syllable.
42.Wrestling.
a.an act or instance of holding or forcing an opponent's shoulders against the mat for a specified length of time.
b.a match or division of a match.
43.a hairpiece consisting of long hair that is attached to one's own hair at the crown and usually allowed to hang freely down the back of the head so as to cover or blend with the natural hair.
44.an opaque veil hanging loose from the back of a hat.
45.falling band.
46.a decorative cascade of lace, ruffles, or the like.
47.Machinery, Nautical. the part of the rope of a tackle to which the power is applied in hoisting.
48.Hunting. a deadfall.
49.the long soft hair that hangs over the forehead and eyes of certain terriers.
50.Armor. a pivoted peak projecting over the face opening of a burgonet.
51.Astrology. the sign of the zodiac in which the most negative influence of a planet is expressed (as opposed to exaltation).
52.Mining. rock or ore that has collapsed from a roof, hanging wall, or the sides of a passage.
—Verb phrases
53.fall away,
a.to withdraw support or allegiance: The candidate's supporters fell away when he advocated racial discrimination.
b.to become lean or thin; diminish; decline.
c.to forsake one's faith, cause, or principles: Many fell away because they were afraid of reprisals.
54.fall back, to give way; recede; retreat: The relentless shelling forced the enemy to fall back.
55.fall back on or upon,
a.Also, fall back to. to retreat to: They fell back on their entrenchments. The troops fell back to their original position.
b.to have recourse to; rely on: They had no savings to fall back on.
56.fall behind,
a.to lag, in pace or progress: We are falling behind in our work. Fatigued, some of the marchers fell behind.
b.to fail to pay (a debt, obligation, etc.) at the appointed time: She fell behind in her tax payments, and the property was confiscated.
57.fall down, Informal. to perform disappointingly; to disappoint; fail: He was doing well on the exam until he fell down on the last essay question.
58.fall for, Slang.
a.to be deceived by: Imagine falling for such an old trick.
b.to fall in love with: He's not at all the type you would expect her to fall for.
59.fall in,
a.to fall to pieces toward the interior; sink inward.
b.to take one's place in the ranks, as a soldier.
c.Also, fall in with. to become acquainted with, esp. by chance: We fell in with an interesting couple from Paris.
60.fall off,
a.to separate from; withdraw.
b.to decrease in number, amount, or intensity; diminish: Tourism falls off when the summer is over.
c.Nautical. to deviate from the heading; fall to leeward.
d.South Midland and Southern U.S. to lose weight, usually due to illness: She was sick all winter and fell off till she was just skin and bones.
61.fall on or upon,
a.to assault; attack: The enemy fell on them suddenly from the rear.
b.to be the obligation of: It has fallen on me to support the family.
c.to experience; encounter: Once well-to-do, they had fallen on hard times.
d.to chance upon; come upon: I fell upon the idea while looking through a magazine.
62.fall out,
a.to quarrel; disagree: We fell out over who was to wash the dishes.
b.to happen; occur: It fell out that we met by chance weeks later.
c.to leave one's place in the ranks, as a soldier: They were ordered to fall out when the parade ended.
d.Slang. to burst out laughing.
e.South Midland and Southern U.S. to become unconscious; pass out.
63.fall through, to come to nothing; fail of realization: Despite all his efforts, the deal fell through.
64.fall to,
a.to apply oneself; begin: to fall to work.
b.to begin to eat: They fell to and soon finished off the entire turkey.
65.fall under,
a.to be the concern or responsibility of.
b.to be classified as; be included within: That case falls under the heading of errors of judgment.
—Idioms
66.fall all over oneself, to show unusual or excessive enthusiasm or eagerness, esp. in the hope of being favored or rewarded: The young trainees fell all over themselves to praise the boss's speech. Also, fall over oneself.
67.fall or come short. short (def. 47).
68.fall foul or afoul of. foul (def. 38).
69.fall off the roof, Slang: Older Use. to menstruate.
70.fall on one's feet. land (def. 25).
71.fall out of bed, to get out of bed quickly.
72.fall over backward(s).
a.bend (def. 15).
b.to exhibit great eagerness, esp. in pursuit of one's own advantage: The candidate fell over backward in support of the issues that would win votes.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME fallen, OE feallan; c. G fallen, ON falla; akin to Lith pùlti to fall]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
short    Audio Help   [shawrt] Pronunciation Key adjective, -er, -est, adverb, noun, verb
–adjective
1.having little length; not long.
2.having little height; not tall: a short man.
3.extending or reaching only a little way: a short path.
4.brief in duration; not extensive in time: a short wait.
5.brief or concise, as writing.
6.rudely brief; abrupt; hurting: short behavior.
7.low in amount; scanty: short rations.
8.not reaching a point, mark, target, or the like; not long enough or far enough.
9.below the standard in extent, quantity, duration, etc.: short measure.
10.having a scanty or insufficient amount of (often fol. by in or on): He was short in experience.
11.being below a necessary or desired level; lacking: The office is short due to winter colds and flu.
12.Cookery.
a.(of pastry and the like) crisp and flaky; breaking or crumbling readily from being made with a large proportion of butter or other shortening.
b.(of dough) containing a relatively large amount of shortening.
13.(of metals) deficient in tenacity; friable; brittle.
14.(of the head or skull) of less than ordinary length from front to back.
15.Stock Exchange.
a.not possessing at the time of sale commodities or stocks that one sells.
b.noting or pertaining to a sale of commodities or stocks that the seller does not possess, depending for profit on a decline in prices.
16.Phonetics.
a.lasting a relatively short time: “Bit” has a shorter vowel-sound than “bid” or “bead.”
b.belonging to a class of sounds considered as usually shorter in duration than another class, as the vowel of but as compared to that of bought, and in many languages serving as a distinctive feature of phonemes, as the a in German Bann in contrast with the ah in Bahn, or the t in Italian fato in contrast with the tt in fatto (opposed to long).
c.having the sound of the English vowels in bat, bet, bit, hot, but, and put, historically descended from vowels that were short in duration.
17.Prosody.
a.(of a syllable in quantitative verse) lasting a relatively shorter time than a long syllable.
b.unstressed.
18.(of an alcoholic drink) small: a short drink.
19.Chiefly British. (of whiskey) undiluted; straight.
20.Ceramics. (of clay) not plastic enough to be modeled.
21.Ropemaking. hard (def. 39).
–adverb
22.abruptly or suddenly: to stop short.
23.briefly; curtly.
24.on the near side of an intended or particular point: The arrow landed short.
25.Baseball.
a.with the hands higher on the handle of the bat than usual: He held the bat short and flied out.
b.in a fielding position closer to home plate than usual.
–noun
26.something that is short.
27.that which is deficient or lacking.
28.the sum and substance of a matter; gist (usually prec. by the).
29.shorts,
a.trousers, knee-length or shorter.
b.short pants worn by men as an undergarment.
c.knee breeches, formerly worn by men.
d.Finance. short-term bonds.
e.Mining. crushed ore failing to pass through a given screen, thus being of a larger given size than a specific grade. Compare fine (def. 29a).
f.remnants, discards, or refuse of various cutting and manufacturing processes.
30.a size of garment for men who are shorter than average: He wears a 42 short.
31.a garment, as a suit or overcoat, in such a size.
32.Military. a shot that strikes or bursts short of the target.
33.Electricity. short circuit.
34.Prosody. a short sound or syllable.
35.Baseball. shortstop (def. 1).
36.Movies. short subject.
37.Finance. short seller.
38.a deficiency or the amount of a deficiency.
39.Chiefly British. a small drink of straight whiskey; shot.
–verb (used with object)
40.to cause a short circuit in.
41.to cheat by giving less than is expected or deserved; shortchange.
–verb (used without object)
42.to short-circuit.
—Idioms
43.come or fall short,
a.to fail to reach a particular standard.
b.to prove insufficient; be lacking: Her funds fell short, and she had to wire home for help.
44.cut short, to end abruptly; terminate: Her nap was cut short by a loud noise from outside.
45.for short, by way of abbreviation: Her name is Patricia, and she's called Pat for short.
46.in short,
a.in summary.
b.in few words; in brief: In short, this has been rather a disappointing day.
47.make short work of. work (def. 52).
48.run short, to be in insufficient supply: My patience is running short.
49.sell short,
a.Stock Exchange. to sell stocks or the like without having them in one's actual possession at the time of the sale.
b.to disparage or underestimate: Don't sell Tom short; he's really an excellent engineer.
50.short and sweet,
a.pleasantly brief.
b.pertinent: We're in a hurry, so make it short and sweet.
51.short for, being a shorter form of; abbreviated to: “Phone” is short for “telephone.”
52.short of,
a.less than; inferior to.
b.inadequately supplied with (money, food, etc.).
c.without going to the length of; failing of; excluding: Short of murder, there is nothing he wouldn't have tried to get what he wanted.
[Origin: bef. 900; ME schort (adj.), OE sceort; c. OHG scurz short, ON skortr shortness, scarcity]

—Related forms
shortness, noun

—Synonyms 4. Short, brief are opposed to long, and indicate slight extent or duration. Short may imply duration but is also applied to physical distance and certain purely spatial relations: a short journey. Brief refers esp. to duration of time: brief intervals. 5. terse, succinct, laconic, condensed. 6. curt, sharp, testy. 7. poor, deficient, inadequate, wanting, lacking. 12. crumbly. 14. brachycephalic.
—Antonyms 3, 4. long.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
fall    Audio Help   (fôl)  Pronunciation Key 
v.   fell (fěl), fall·en (fô'lən), fall·ing, falls

v.   intr.
  1. To drop or come down freely under the influence of gravity.
  2. To drop oneself to a lower or less erect position: I fell back in my chair. The pilgrims fell to their knees.
    1. To lose an upright or erect position suddenly.
    2. To drop wounded or dead, especially in battle.
    3. To experience defeat or ruin: After 300 years the dynasty fell.
    4. To lose office: The disgraced prime minister fell from power.
    5. To lessen in amount or degree: The air pressure is falling.
    6. To decline in financial value: Last year, stocks fell sharply.
    7. To give in to temptation; sin.
    8. Theology To lose primordial innocence and happiness. Used of humanity as a result of the Fall.
    9. To lose one's chastity.
    10. To be given by assignment or distribution: The greatest task fell to me.
    11. To be given by right or inheritance.
  4. To go or come as if by falling: All grief fell from our hearts. Night fell quickly.
  5. To come to rest; settle: The light fell on my book.
  6. To hang down: The child's hair fell in ringlets.
  7. To be cast down: Her eyes fell.
  8. To assume an expression of consternation or disappointment: His face fell when he heard the report.
  9. To undergo conquest or capture, especially as the result of an armed attack: The city fell after a long siege.
    1. To experience defeat or ruin: After 300 years the dynasty fell.
    2. To lose office: The disgraced prime minister fell from power.
    3. To lessen in amount or degree: The air pressure is falling.
    4. To decline in financial value: Last year, stocks fell sharply.
    5. To give in to temptation; sin.
    6. Theology To lose primordial innocence and happiness. Used of humanity as a result of the Fall.
    7. To lose one's chastity.
    8. To be given by assignment or distribution: The greatest task fell to me.
    9. To be given by right or inheritance.
  11. To slope downward: The rolling hills fall gently toward the coast.
    1. To lessen in amount or degree: The air pressure is falling.
    2. To decline in financial value: Last year, stocks fell sharply.
    3. To give in to temptation; sin.
    4. Theology To lose primordial innocence and happiness. Used of humanity as a result of the Fall.
    5. To lose one's chastity.
    6. To be given by assignment or distribution: The greatest task fell to me.
    7. To be given by right or inheritance.
  13. To diminish in pitch or volume: My friend's voice fell to a whisper.
    1. To give in to temptation; sin.
    2. Theology To lose primordial innocence and happiness. Used of humanity as a result of the Fall.
    3. To lose one's chastity.
    4. To be given by assignment or distribution: The greatest task fell to me.
    5. To be given by right or inheritance.
  15. To pass into a particular state, condition, or situation: fell silent; fall in love.
  16. To occur at a specified time: New Year's Day falls on a Tuesday this year.
  17. To occur at a specified place: The stress falls on the last syllable.
  18. To come, as by chance: fell among a band of thieves; a thought that fell into his mind.
    1. To be given by assignment or distribution: The greatest task fell to me.
    2. To be given by right or inheritance.
  20. To be included within the range or scope of something: The specimens fall into three categories.
  21. To come into contact; strike: My gaze fell on a small book in the corner.
  22. To come out; issue: Insincere compliments fell from their lips.
  23. To apply oneself: fell to work immediately.
  24. To be born. Used chiefly of lambs.

v.   tr.
To cut down (a tree); fell.

n.  
  1. The act or an instance of falling.
  2. A sudden drop from a relatively erect to a less erect position.
  3. Something that has fallen: a fall of hail.
    1. An amount that has fallen: a fall of two inches of rain.
    2. The distance that something falls: The victim suffered a fall of three stories to the ground.
    3. A veil hung from a woman's hat and down her back.
    4. An ornamental cascade of lace or trimming attached to a dress, usually at the collar.
    5. A woman's hairpiece with long, free-hanging hair.
    6. An overthrow; a collapse: the fall of a government.
    7. Armed capture of a place under siege: the fall of Troy.
    8. A moral lapse.
    9. A loss of chastity.
    10. The act of holding a wrestling opponent on his or her back so that the shoulders remain in contact with the mat for a designated period, usually one or two seconds, thereby winning the match. Also called pin.
    11. Any of various wrestling maneuvers resulting in such an act.
    12. A break or rise in the level of a deck.
    13. falls The apparatus used to hoist and transfer cargo or lifeboats.
    14. The birth of an animal, especially a lamb.
    15. All the animals born at one birth; a litter.
  5. Autumn.
  6. falls (used with a sing. or pl. verb) A waterfall.
  7. A downward movement or slope.
  8. Any of several pendent articles of dress, especially:
    1. A veil hung from a woman's hat and down her back.
    2. An ornamental cascade of lace or trimming attached to a dress, usually at the collar.
    3. A woman's hairpiece with long, free-hanging hair.
    4. An overthrow; a collapse: the fall of a government.
    5. Armed capture of a place under siege: the fall of Troy.
    6. A moral lapse.
    7. A loss of chastity.
    8. The act of holding a wrestling opponent on his or her back so that the shoulders remain in contact with the mat for a designated period, usually one or two seconds, thereby winning the match. Also called pin.
    9. Any of various wrestling maneuvers resulting in such an act.
    10. A break or rise in the level of a deck.
    11. falls The apparatus used to hoist and transfer cargo or lifeboats.
    12. The birth of an animal, especially a lamb.
    13. All the animals born at one birth; a litter.
    1. An overthrow; a collapse: the fall of a government.
    2. Armed capture of a place under siege: the fall of Troy.
    3. A moral lapse.
    4. A loss of chastity.
    5. The act of holding a wrestling opponent on his or her back so that the shoulders remain in contact with the mat for a designated period, usually one or two seconds, thereby winning the match. Also called pin.
    6. Any of various wrestling maneuvers resulting in such an act.
    7. A break or rise in the level of a deck.
    8. falls The apparatus used to hoist and transfer cargo or lifeboats.
    9. The birth of an animal, especially a lamb.
    10. All the animals born at one birth; a litter.
  10. A reduction in value, amount, or degree.
  11. A marked, often sudden, decline in status, rank, or importance: "turned them in, set them up for prosecution; positioned them, as it were, for the fall" (Joan Didion).
    1. A moral lapse.
    2. A loss of chastity.
    3. The act of holding a wrestling opponent on his or her back so that the shoulders remain in contact with the mat for a designated period, usually one or two seconds, thereby winning the match. Also called pin.
    4. Any of various wrestling maneuvers resulting in such an act.
    5. A break or rise in the level of a deck.
    6. falls The apparatus used to hoist and transfer cargo or lifeboats.
    7. The birth of an animal, especially a lamb.
    8. All the animals born at one birth; a litter.
  13. often Fall Theology The loss of humanity's original innocence and happiness resulting from Adam and Eve's eating of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.
  14. Sports
    1. The act of holding a wrestling opponent on his or her back so that the shoulders remain in contact with the mat for a designated period, usually one or two seconds, thereby winning the match. Also called pin.
    2. Any of various wrestling maneuvers resulting in such an act.
    3. A break or rise in the level of a deck.
    4. falls The apparatus used to hoist and transfer cargo or lifeboats.
    5. The birth of an animal, especially a lamb.
    6. All the animals born at one birth; a litter.
  15. Nautical
    1. A break or rise in the level of a deck.
    2. falls The apparatus used to hoist and transfer cargo or lifeboats.
    3. The birth of an animal, especially a lamb.
    4. All the animals born at one birth; a litter.
  16. The end of a cable, rope, or chain that is pulled by the power source in hoisting.
    1. The birth of an animal, especially a lamb.
    2. All the animals born at one birth; a litter.
  18. A family of woodcock in flight. See Synonyms at flock1.
  19. Botany The outer series of perianth in the irises and related plants.

adj.  
  1. Of, having to do with, occurring in, or appropriate to the season of fall: fall fashion; fall harvests.
  2. Grown during the season of fall: fall crops.
  3. To break down; collapse: The rickety chair fell apart.
  4. To suffer a nervous breakdown: He fell apart after years as a POW.
  5. To withdraw one's friendship and support.
  6. To become gradually diminished in size.
  7. To drift off an established course.
  8. To lose weight.
  9. To give ground; retreat.
  10. To recede: The waves fell back.
  11. To fail to keep up a pace; lag behind.
  12. To be financially in arrears.
  13. To feel love for; be in love with.
  14. To be deceived or swindled by: fell for the con artist's scheme and lost $200,000.
  15. To take one's place in a military formation.
  16. To sink inward; cave in: The roof of the old barn fell in.
  17. To become less; decrease: Stock prices have fallen off. The number of staff meetings fell off after a few months.
  18. To lose weight: Toward the end of the dry season, the cattle fall off rapidly.
  19. Nautical To change course to leeward.
  20. To attack suddenly and viciously: Snipers and irregulars fell on the hapless patrol.
  21. To meet with; encounter: a stockbroker who fell on hard times.
    1. To leave a barracks, for example, in order to take one's place in a military formation.
    2. To leave a military formation.
  23. To quarrel: The siblings fell out over their inheritance.
  24. To happen; occur.
  25. To be readily explainable; follow logically or naturally: These facts fall out nicely from the new theory.

Phrasal Verb(s):
fall apart
  1. To break down; collapse: The rickety chair fell apart.
  2. To suffer a nervous breakdown: He fell apart after years as a POW.
fall away
  1. To withdraw one's friendship and support.
  2. To become gradually diminished in size.
  3. To drift off an established course.
  4. To lose weight.
fall back
  1. To give ground; retreat.
  2. To recede: The waves fell back.
fall behind
  1. To fail to keep up a pace; lag behind.
  2. To be financially in arrears.
fall down
To fail to meet expectations; lag in performance: fell down on the job.
fall for
  1. To feel love for; be in love with.
  2. To be deceived or swindled by: fell for the con artist's scheme and lost $200,000.
fall in
  1. To take one's place in a military formation.
  2. To sink inward; cave in: The roof of the old barn fell in.
fall off
  1. To become less; decrease: Stock prices have fallen off. The number of staff meetings fell off after a few months.
  2. To lose weight: Toward the end of the dry season, the cattle fall off rapidly.
  3. Nautical To change course to leeward.
fall on/upon
  1. To attack suddenly and viciously: Snipers and irregulars fell on the hapless patrol.
  2. To meet with; encounter: a stockbroker who fell on hard times.
fall out
    1. To leave a barracks, for example, in order to take one's place in a military formation.
    2. To leave a military formation.
  2. To quarrel: The siblings fell out over their inheritance.
  3. To happen; occur.
  4. To be readily explainable; follow logically or naturally: These facts fall out nicely from the new theory.
fall through
To fail; miscarry: Our plans fell through at the last minute.
fall to
To begin an activity energetically: "The press fell to with a will" (Russell Baker).

Idiom(s):
fall back on/upon
  1. To rely on: fall back on old friends in time of need.
  2. To resort to: I had to fall back on my savings when I was unemployed.

Idiom(s):
fall between (the) two stools
To fail because of an inability to reconcile or choose between two courses of action.

Idiom(s):
fall flat
  1. To fail miserably when attempting to achieve a result.
  2. To have no effect: The jokes fell flat.

Idiom(s):
fall foul/afoul
  1. Nautical To collide. Used of vessels.
  2. To clash: fell foul of the law.

Idiom(s):
fall from grace
To experience a major reduction in status or prestige.

Idiom(s):
fall into line
To adhere to established rules or predetermined courses of action.

Idiom(s):
fall in with
  1. To agree with or be in harmony with: Their views fall in with ours.
  2. To associate or begin to associate with: fell in with the wrong crowd.

Idiom(s):
fall on deaf ears
To go unheeded; be ignored completely: "Moscow's own familiar charges . . . will also fall on deaf ears" (Foreign Affairs).

Idiom(s):
fall over backward/backwards
To overexert oneself to do or accomplish something: We fell over backward to complete the project on time.

Idiom(s):
fall over (oneself)
To display inordinate, typically effusive, enthusiasm: fell over themselves to impress the general's wife.

Idiom(s):
fall prey to
To be put into such a vulnerable position as to be at risk of harm, destruction, or invasion: a person who fell prey to swindlers; did not want the country to fall prey to terrorists.

Idiom(s):
fall short
  1. To fail to attain a specified amount, level, or degree: an athlete whose skill fell far short of expectations.
  2. To prove inadequate: Food supplies fell short.

Idiom(s):
fall through the cracks
To pass unnoticed, neglected, or unchecked: "In the past, many learning disabled children fell through the cracks" (Judith Harkness Richardson).

[Middle English fallen, from Old English feallan.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
fall short

verb
fail to meet (expectations or standards) 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
fall short — often with of
to be not enough or not good enough etc
Example: The money we have falls short of what we need.
Arabic: لَم يَفِ، يُقَصِّر، لم يَكْفِ
Chinese (Simplified): 不足
Chinese (Traditional): 不足
Czech: nestačit
Danish: ikke være tilstrækkelig
Dutch: minder zijn (dan)
Estonian: mitte piisama
Finnish: olla riittämätön
French: manquer (de)
German: nicht entsprechen
Greek: υπολείπομαι
Hungarian: alatta marad vminek
Icelandic: vantar upp á, skortir á
Indonesian: tidak cukup
Italian: essere insufficiente*
Japanese: 不足する
Latvian: trūkt
Lithuanian: trūkti
Norwegian: ikke nå målet, ikke strekke til, komme til kort
Polish: nie wystarczyć
Portuguese (Brazil): ser insuficiente
Portuguese (Portugal): ser insuficiente, *não chegar
Romanian: a nu fi de ajuns
Russian: не хватать
Slovak: nestačiť
Slovenian: ne zadoščati
Spanish: no llegar, no alcanzar
Swedish: inte räcka till, börja ta slut
Turkish: eksik gelmek
See also: fallout, fall, fall away, fall back, fall back on, fall behind, fall down, fall flat, fall for, fall in with, fall off, fall on/upon, fall out, fall through, falls, his, her face fell, "fall short" in any language

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary, © 2000-2006 K Dictionaries Ltd.
Browse Nearby Entries:

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fall on
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