fell

¹ American  

[fel] / fɛl /

verb

1. simple past tense of fall.

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fell ² American  

[fel] / fɛl /

verb (used with object)

1. to knock, strike, shoot, or cut down; cause to fall: to fell a tree.

   to fell a moose;

   to fell a tree.

2. Sewing. to finish (a seam) by sewing the edge down flat.

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noun

1. Lumbering. the amount of timber cut down in one season.

2. Sewing. a seam finished by felling.

fell ³ American  

[fel] / fɛl /

adjective

1. fierce; ferocious; dreadful; savage.

2. destructive; deadly.

   fell poison;

   fell disease.

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idioms

1. at / in one fell swoop. swoop.

fell ⁴ American  

[fel] / fɛl /

noun

Chiefly Literary.

1. the skin or hide of an animal; pelt.

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fell ⁵ American  

[fel] / fɛl /

noun

Scot. and North England.

1. an upland pasture, moor, or thicket; a highland plateau.

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fell ¹ British  

/ fɛl /

verb

1. to cut or knock down

   to fell a tree

   to fell an opponent

2. needlework to fold under and sew flat (the edges of a seam)

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noun

1. the timber felled in one season

2. a seam finished by felling

fell ² British  

/ fɛl /

adjective

1. archaic cruel or fierce; terrible

2. archaic destructive or deadly

   a fell disease

3. a single hasty action or occurrence

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fell ³ British  

/ fɛl /

noun

1. (often plural)

   1. a mountain, hill, or tract of upland moor

   2. ( in combination )

      fell-walking

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fell ⁴ British  

/ fɛl /

verb

1. the past tense of fall

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fell ⁵ British  

/ fɛl /

noun

1. an animal skin or hide

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fell More Idioms  

1. see one fell swoop.

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Other Word Forms

• fellable adjective
• fellness noun

Etymology

Origin of fell²

First recorded before 900; Middle English fellen, fillen, fullen, Old English fellan, fyllan “to cut, cut down, destroy, shed (tears),” causative of feallan “to fall, fall down”; cognate with Gothic falljan, Old Frisian falla, fella, Old High German fellen, German fällen “to make fall”; fall

Origin of fell³

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English fel “treacherous, deceitful, false,” from Old French, nominative of felon “wicked”; felon ¹

Origin of fell⁴

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English fel(l); cognate with Dutch vel, German Fell, Old Norse -fjall (as in berfjall “bearskin”), Gothic -fill (in thrutsfill “leprosy,” literally “scab skin”); akin to Latin pellis “skin, hide,” Greek péltē “small, light, leather-covered shield”

Origin of fell⁵

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English fel “hill, mountain; upland or pasture; a moor or down”; from Old Norse fjall, -fell, “hill, mountain,” akin to German Fels “rock, cliff”

Example Sentences

New England’s run defense was among the league’s best early in the season, then fell off, but has snapped back with the return of Milton Williams.

From Los Angeles Times

Corporate bookings for her food trucks fell sharply as employers cut perks for their workers, the 43-year-old entrepreneur said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Pakistan's capital Islamabad was once known for its lush greenery, but the felling of trees across the city for infrastructure and military monuments has prompted local anger and even lawsuits.

From Barron's

The team's body blow was one which left home supporters stunned as Newcastle fell to a damaging 3-2 defeat.

From BBC

But to become just the second skater to win two gold medals in the same Games, Malinin’s performance fell short of the lofty expectations.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• drop
• flatten
• raze
• shoot
• shoot down
• slash
• tumble