fall in

British  

verb

1. to collapse; no longer act as a support

2. to adopt a military formation, esp as a soldier taking his place in a line

3. (of a lease) to expire

4. (of land) to come into the owner's possession on the expiry of the lease

5. (often foll by with)

   1. to meet and join

   2. to agree with or support a person, suggestion, etc

6. to make a mistake or come to grief

7. to become pregnant

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1. the order to adopt a military formation

fall in Idioms  

1. Take one's place in formation or in the ranks, as in The sergeant ordered the troops to fall in . A related expression is fall into , as in They all fell into their places . [Early 1600s] Also see fall into .

2. Sink inward, cave in, as in The snow was so heavy that we feared the roof would fall in . [Early 1700s] Also see under drop in ; the subsequent idioms beginning with fall in ; fall into .

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Example Sentences

Eurozone industrial output unexpectedly rose 0.4% in February after a 0.8% fall in January, defying economists’ expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Asian nations have been particularly hard hit due to a sharp fall in the crude shipments they rely on -- and have few alternatives to replace them.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Indeed, recent history shows that the VIX’s recent slide, combined with a sharp fall in oil prices, is particularly positive for stocks.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

The most recent estimates from the United Nations show that the worldwide rate continued to fall in 2023 and was nearing replacement level.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

There must be no tears now—unless it may be that God will let them fall in gladness.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Related Words

• appear
• arrive
• become
• enter
• get
• happen
• hit
• materialize
• move
• occur
• reach
• show
• show up