not true or correct; erroneous: a false statement.
2.
uttering or declaring what is untrue: a false witness.
3.
not faithful or loyal; treacherous: a false friend.
4.
tending to deceive or mislead; deceptive: a false impression.
5.
not genuine; counterfeit.
6.
based on mistaken, erroneous, or inconsistent impressions, ideas, or facts: false pride.
7.
used as a substitute or supplement, esp. temporarily: false supports for a bridge.
8.
Biology. having a superficial resemblance to something that properly bears the name: the false acacia.
9.
not properly, accurately, or honestly made, done, or adjusted: a false balance.
10.
inaccurate in pitch, as a musical note.
–adverb
11.
dishonestly; faithlessly; treacherously: Did he speak false against me?
—Idiom
12.
play someone false, to betray someone; be treacherous or faithless.
[Origin: bef. 1000; ME, OE fals < L falsus feigned, false, orig. ptp. of fallere to deceive; reinforced by or reborrowed from AF, OF fals, fem. false < L]
—Related forms
falsely, adverb
falseness, noun
—Synonyms 1. mistaken, incorrect, wrong, untrue. 2. untruthful, lying, mendacious. 3. insincere, hypocritical, disingenuous, disloyal, unfaithful, inconstant, perfidious, traitorous. 4. misleading, fallacious. 5. artificial, spurious, bogus, forged. False,sham,counterfeit agree in referring to something that is not genuine. False is used mainly of imitations of concrete objects; it sometimes implies an intent to deceive: false teeth; false hair. Sham is rarely used of concrete objects and usually has the suggestion of intent to deceive: sham title; sham tears. Counterfeit always has the implication of cheating; it is used particularly of spurious imitation of coins, paper money, etc.
c.1200, from O.Fr. fals, faus, from L. falsus "deceived, erroneous, mistaken," pp. of fallere "deceive, disappoint," of uncertain origin. Adopted into other Gmc. languages (cf. Ger. falsch, Dan. falsk), though Eng. is the only one in which the active sense of "deceitful" (a secondary sense in L.) has predominated. Falsies "padded brassiere" first recorded 1943.
not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality; "gave false testimony under oath"; "false tales of bravery" [ant: true]
2.
arising from error; "a false assumption"; "a mistaken view of the situation"
3.
erroneous and usually accidental; "a false start"; "a false alarm"
4.
deliberately deceptive; "false pretenses"
5.
inappropriate to reality or facts; "delusive faith in a wonder drug"; "delusive expectations"; "false hopes" [syn: delusive]
6.
not genuine or real; being an imitation of the genuine article; "it isn't fake anything; it's real synthetic fur"; "faux pearls"; "false teeth"; "decorated with imitation palm leaves"; "a purse of simulated alligator hide" [syn: fake]
7.
designed to deceive; "a suitcase with a false bottom"
8.
inaccurate in pitch; "a false (or sour) note"; "her singing was off key"
9.
adopted in order to deceive; "an assumed name"; "an assumed cheerfulness"; "a fictitious address"; "fictive sympathy"; "a pretended interest"; "a put-on childish voice"; "sham modesty" [syn: assumed]
10.
(used especially of persons) not dependable in devotion or affection; unfaithful; "a false friend"; "when lovers prove untrue"
adverb
1.
in a disloyal and faithless manner; "he behaved treacherously"; "his wife played him false" [syn: faithlessly]
False Pass, AK (CDP, FIPS 24670) Location: 54.84103 N, 163.43685 W Population (1990): 68 (36 housing units) Area: 38.3 sq km (land), 6.3 sq km (water) Zip code(s): 99583
Croup\ (kr??p), n. [Scot. croup, cf. croup, crowp, to croak, to cry or speak with a hoarse voice; cf. also LG. kropp, G. kropf, the crop or craw of a bird, and tumor on the anterior part of the neck, a wen, etc. Cf. Crop.] (Med.) An inflammatory affection of the larynx or trachea, accompanied by a hoarse, ringing cough and stridulous, difficult breathing; esp., such an affection when associated with the development of a false membrane in the air passages (also called membranous croup). See False croup, under False, and Diphtheria.
Fab"ur*den\ (f[a^]b"[u^]r*den), n. [F. faux bourdon. See False, and Burden a verse.]1. (Mus.) (a) A species of counterpoint with a drone bass. (b) A succession of chords of the sixth. [Obs.] 2. A monotonous refrain. [Obs.] --Holland.
Fail\v. i. [imp. & p. p. Failed; p. pr. & vb. n. Failing.] [F. failir, fr. L. fallere, falsum, to deceive, akin to E. fall. See Fail, and cf. Fallacy, False, Fault.]1. To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence; to cease to be furnished in the usual or expected manner, or to be altogether cut off from supply; to be lacking; as, streams fail; crops fail. As the waters fail from the sea. --Job xiv. 11. Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign. --Shak. 2. To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; -- used with of. If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not be attributed to their size. --Berke. 3. To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink. When earnestly they seek Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail. --Milton. 4. To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails. 5. To perish; to die; -- used of a person. [Obs.] Had the king in his last sickness failed. --Shak. 6. To be found wanting with respect to an action or a duty to be performed, a result to be secured, etc.; to miss; not to fulfill expectation. Take heed now that ye fail not to do this. --Ezra iv. 22. Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale. --Shak. 7. To come short of a result or object aimed at or desired; to be baffled or frusrated. Our envious foe hath failed. --Milton. 8. To err in judgment; to be mistaken. Which ofttimes may succeed, so as perhaps Shall grieve him, if I fail not. --Milton. 9. To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.
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Audio Help [fawls] Pronunciation Key adjective, fals·er, fals·est, adverb 
