Fail , n. [OF. faille, from failir. See Fail, v. i.]
1. Miscarriage; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly superseded by failure or failing, except in the phrase
without fail.
"His highness' fail of issue." Shak.
2. Death; decease. [Obs.]
Shak.
Fail (?), v. t. 1. To
be wanting to ; to be insufficient for; to disappoint; to desert.
There shall not fail thee a man on the throne.
1 Kings ii. 4.
2. To miss of attaining; to lose. [R.]
Though that seat of
earthly bliss be failed.
Milton.
Fail (fāl)
v. i. [imp. & p. p. Failed (fāld);
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.
Hear it pronounced