failing
Use Failing in a sentence
lɪŋ noun
1.
an act or instance of failing; failure: His failing is due to general incompetence.
2.
a defect or fault; shortcoming; weakness: His lack of knowledge is a grave failing.
preposition
3.
in the absence or default of: Failing payment, we shall sue.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
verb (used without object)
1.
to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved: The experiment failed because of poor planning.
2.
to receive less than the passing grade or mark in an examination, class, or course of study: He failed in history.
3.
to be or become deficient or lacking; be insufficient or absent; fall short: Our supplies failed.
4.
to dwindle, pass, or die away: The flowers failed for lack of rain.
5.
to lose strength or vigor; become weak: His health failed after the operation.
6.
to become unable to meet or pay debts or business obligations; become insolvent or bankrupt.
7.
(of a building member, structure, machine part, etc.) to break, bend, crush, or be otherwise destroyed or made useless because of an excessive load.
8.
to stop functioning or operating: The electricity failed during the storm.
verb (used with object)
9.
to be unsuccessful in the performance or completion of: He failed to do his duty.
10.
(of some expected or usual resource) to prove of no use or help to: His friends failed him. Words failed her.
11.
to receive less than a passing grade or mark in: He failed history.
12.
to declare (a person) unsuccessful in a test, course of study, etc.; give less than a passing grade to: The professor failed him in history.
noun
Idioms 13.
Stock Exchange.
a.
a stockbroker's inability to deliver or receive security within the required time after sale or purchase.
b.
such an undelivered security.
14.
Obsolete. failure as to performance, occurrence, etc.
15.
without fail, with certainty; positively: I will visit you tomorrow without fail.
Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English failen < Anglo-French, Old French faillir < Vulgar Latin *fallīre, for Latin fallere to disappoint, deceive
1175–1225; Middle English failen < Anglo-French, Old French faillir < Vulgar Latin *fallīre, for Latin fallere to disappoint, deceive
Related forms
un·failed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To failing
00:10
Failing
is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
fail1 (feɪl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to be unsuccessful in an attempt (at something or to do something) |
| 2. | (intr) to stop operating or working properly: the steering failed suddenly |
| 3. | to judge or be judged as being below the officially accepted standard required for success in (a course, examination, etc) |
| 4. | (tr) to prove disappointing, undependable, or useless to (someone) |
| 5. | (tr) to neglect or be unable (to do something) |
| 6. | (intr) to prove partly or completely insufficient in quantity, duration, or extent |
| 7. | (intr) to weaken; fade away |
| 8. | (intr) to go bankrupt or become insolvent |
| —n | |
| 9. | a failure to attain the required standard, as in an examination |
| 10. | without fail definitely; with certainty |
| [C13: from Old French faillir, ultimately from Latin fallere to disappoint; probably related to Greek phēlos deceitful] | |
| fail2 (fel) | |
| —n | |
| (Scot) a turf; sod | |
| [perhaps from Scottish Gaelic fàl] | |
| failing (ˈfeɪlɪŋ) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | a weak point; flaw |
| —prep | |
| 2. | (used to express a condition) in default of: failing a solution this afternoon, the problem will have to wait until Monday |
| 'failingly | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
fail
early 13c., from O.Fr. faillir "be lacking, miss, not succeed," from V.L. *fallire, from L. fallere "deceive, be lacking or defective." Related: Failed; failing. Replaced O.E. abreoðan. The Anglo-Norm. form, failer, came to be used as a noun, hence failure.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Solar again is failing to make any significant inroads in the renewable energy market.
Speaking from considerable experience, failing stinks.
Failing here, the prestige of his name-all the prestige he ever had-was gone.
Failing to keep up, though, leads to complications ranging from foot ulcers to renal failure.
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