Failed Fail I Failing Feɪl Banks Verb Bre

• many diets fail because they are boring.
• a failing school
• i failed in my attempt to persuade her.
• she failed to get into art college.

fail

1. to not be successful in achieving something
• Many diets fail because they are boring.
• a failing school
• I failed in my attempt to persuade her.
• She failed to get into art college.
• The song can't fail to be a hit (= definitely will be a hit).
2. to not do something
• He failed to keep the appointment.
• She never fails to email every week.
• I fail to see (= I don't understand) why you won't even give it a try.
• He felt he would be failing in his duty if he did not report it.
3. to not pass a test or an exam; to decide that somebody/something has not passed a test or an exam
• opposite pass
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/pass_1
• He failed his driving test.
• She was disqualified after failing a drugs test.
• What will you do if you fail?
• The examiners failed over half the candidates.
4. to stop working
• The brakes on my bike failed half way down the hill.
5. to become weak
• Her eyesight is failing.
• His last months in office were marred by failing health.
6. to disappoint somebody; to be unable to help when needed
• See related entries: Disappointment
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/topic/disappointment/fail_2
• When he lost his job, he felt he had failed his family.
• She tried to be brave, but her courage failed her.
• Words fail me (= I cannot express how I feel).
7. to not be enough when needed or expected
• The crops failed again last summer.
• The rains had failed and the rivers were dry.
8. to be unable to continue
• Several banks failed during the recession.
9. used to suggest something that somebody can do if nothing else they have tried is successful
• If all else fails, you can always sell your motorbike.
10. so important to the economy of a country that when it finds itself in financial trouble, the government or central bank must act to save it
• Shouldering the huge costs of rescuing banks that are too big to fail has been left to taxpayers.

Extra Examples

• I tried to cheer her up, but failed miserably.
• Others have tried and failed.
• She came up with several plans that failed spectacularly before finally achieving success.
• That joke never fails.
• The authorities have totally failed to address this problem.
• The show didn’t just fail, it failed spectacularly.
• The song can’t fail to be a hit.
• an enterprise that was doomed to fail from the start
• A high percentage of businesses fail because of the collapse of a major customer.
• Businesses fail because they can’t pay their bills.
• I fail to see why you won’t even give it a try.
• More banks failed as people rushed to withdraw their money.
• My car failed its MOT.
• Once a student has failed on a few tasks, they lose motivation.
• Opponents say it’s a policy doomed to fail.
• She tried to put an all-women crew together, but failed dismally.
• The air-conditioning system failed on the hottest day of the year.
• The brakes on my bike failed halfway down the hill.
• They had tried and they had failed.
• Words fail me.

Verb Forms

• present simple I / you / we / they fail
• he / she / it fails
• past simple failed
• past participle failed
• -ing form failing

Word Origin

• Middle English: from Old French faillir (verb), faille (noun), based on Latin fallere ‘deceive’.