fell

[ fel ]

/ fɛl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fell ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

simple past tense of fall.

Nearby words

felix, felix i, felix iii, felix iv, felixstowe, fell, fell pony, fella, fellable, fellah, fellahin

Definition for fell (2 of 6)

fell

[ fel ]

/ fɛl /

verb (used with object)

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

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

noun

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

Sewing. a seam finished by felling.

Origin of fell

before 900; Middle English fellen, Old English fellan, causative of feallan to fall; cognate with Gothic falljan to cause to fall

Definition for fell (3 of 6)

fell

[ fel ]

/ fɛl /

adjective

fierce; cruel; dreadful; savage.

destructive; deadly: fell poison; fell disease.

Origin of fell

1250–1300; Middle English fel < Old French, nominative of felon wicked. See felon¹

Related formsfell·ness, noun

Definition for fell (4 of 6)

fell

⁴

[ fel ]

/ fɛl /

noun

the skin or hide of an animal; pelt.

Origin of fell

⁴

before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch vel, German Fell, Old Norse -fjall (in berfjall bear-skin), Gothic -fill (in thrutsfill scab-skin, leprosy); akin to Latin pellis skin, hide

Definition for fell (5 of 6)

fell

⁵

[ fel ]

/ fɛl /

noun Scot. and North England.

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

Origin of fell

⁵

1300–50; Middle English < Old Norse fell, fjall hill, mountain, akin to German Felsen rock, cliff

Definition for fell (6 of 6)

fall

[ fawl ]

/ fɔl /

verb (used without object), fell, fall·en, fall·ing.

to drop or descend under the force of gravity, as to a lower place through loss or lack of support.

to come or drop down suddenly to a lower position, especially to leave a standing or erect position suddenly, whether voluntarily or not: to fall on one's knees.

to become less or lower; become of a lower level, degree, amount, quality, value, number, etc.; decline: The temperature fell ten degrees. Stock prices fell to a new low for the year.

to subside or abate.

extend downward; hang down: Her hair falls to her shoulders.

to become lowered or directed downward, as the eyes: My eyes fell before his steady gaze.

to become lower in pitch or volume: Her voice fell, and she looked about in confusion.

to succumb to temptation or sin, especially to become unchaste or to lose one's innocence.

to lose status, dignity, position, character, etc.

to succumb to attack: The city fell to the enemy.

to be overthrown, as a government.

to drop down wounded or dead, especially to be slain: to fall in battle.

to pass into some physical, mental, or emotional condition: to fall asleep; to fall in love.

to envelop or come as if by dropping, as stillness or night.

to issue forth: Witty remarks fall easily from his lips.

to come by lot or chance: The chore fell to him.

to come by chance into a particular position: to fall among thieves.

to come to pass, occur, or become at a certain time: Christmas falls on a Monday this year. The rent falls due the first of every month.

to have its proper place: The accent falls on the last syllable.

to come by right: The inheritance fell to the only living relative.

to be naturally divisible (usually followed by into): The story fell into two distinct parts.

to lose animation; appear disappointed, as the face: His face fell when he heard the bad news.

to slope or extend in a downward direction: The field falls gently to the river.

to be directed, as light, sight, etc., on something: His eyes fell upon the note on the desk.

to collapse, as through weakness, damage, poor construction, or the like; topple or sink: The old tower fell under its own weight. The cake fell when he slammed the oven door.

(of an animal, especially a lamb) to be born: Two lambs fell yesterday.

verb (used with object), fell, fall·en, fall·ing.

to fell (a tree, animal, etc.).

noun

an act or instance of falling or dropping from a higher to a lower place or position.

that which falls or drops: a heavy fall of rain.

the season of the year that comes after summer and before winter; autumn.

a becoming less; a lowering or decline; a sinking to a lower level: the fall of the Roman Empire.

the distance through which anything falls: It is a long fall to the ground from this height.

Usually falls. a cataract or waterfall.

downward slope or declivity: the gentle rise and fall of the meadow.

a falling from an erect position, as to the ground: to have a bad fall.

a hanging down: a fall of long hair.

a succumbing to temptation; lapse into sin.

the Fall, (sometimes lowercase) Theology. the lapse of human beings into a state of natural or innate sinfulness through the sin of Adam and Eve.

Slang. an arrest by the police.

surrender or capture, as of a city.

proper place: the fall of an accent on a syllable.

Wrestling.

an act or instance of holding or forcing an opponent's shoulders against the mat for a specified length of time.
a match or division of a match.

a hairpiece consisting of long hair that is attached to one's own hair at the crown and usually allowed to hang freely down the back of the head so as to cover or blend with the natural hair.

an opaque veil hanging loose from the back of a hat.

falling band.

a decorative cascade of lace, ruffles, or the like.

Machinery, Nautical. the part of the rope of a tackle to which the power is applied in hoisting.

Hunting. a deadfall.

the long soft hair that hangs over the forehead and eyes of certain terriers.

Armor. a pivoted peak projecting over the face opening of a burgonet.

Astrology. the sign of the zodiac in which the most negative influence of a planet is expressed (opposed to exaltationdef 5).

Mining. rock or ore that has collapsed from a roof, hanging wall, or the sides of a passage.

Verb Phrases

fall away,

to withdraw support or allegiance: The candidate's supporters fell away when he advocated racial discrimination.
to become lean or thin; diminish; decline.
to forsake one's faith, cause, or principles: Many fell away because they were afraid of reprisals.

fall back, to give way; recede; retreat: The relentless shelling forced the enemy to fall back.

fall back on/upon,

Also fall back to. to retreat to: They fell back on their entrenchments. The troops fell back to their original position.
to have recourse to; rely on: They had no savings to fall back on.

fall behind,

to lag, in pace or progress: We are falling behind in our work. Fatigued, some of the marchers fell behind.
to fail to pay (a debt, obligation, etc.) at the appointed time: She fell behind in her tax payments, and the property was confiscated.

fall down, Informal. to perform disappointingly; to disappoint; fail: He was doing well on the exam until he fell down on the last essay question.

fall for, Slang.

to be deceived by: Imagine falling for such an old trick.
to fall in love with: He's not at all the type you would expect her to fall for.

fall in,

to fall to pieces toward the interior; sink inward.
to take one's place in the ranks, as a soldier.
Also fall in with. to become acquainted with, especially by chance: We fell in with an interesting couple from Paris.

fall off,

to separate from; withdraw.
to decrease in number, amount, or intensity; diminish: Tourism falls off when the summer is over.
Nautical. to deviate from the heading; fall to leeward.
South Midland and Southern U.S. to lose weight, usually due to illness: She was sick all winter and fell off till she was just skin and bones.

fall on/upon,

to assault; attack: The enemy fell on them suddenly from the rear.
to be the obligation of: It has fallen on me to support the family.
to experience; encounter: Once well-to-do, they had fallen on hard times.
to chance upon; come upon: I fell upon the idea while looking through a magazine.

fall out,

to quarrel; disagree: We fell out over who was to wash the dishes.
to happen; occur: It fell out that we met by chance weeks later.
to leave one's place in the ranks, as a soldier: They were ordered to fall out when the parade ended.
Slang. to burst out laughing.
South Midland and Southern U.S. to become unconscious; pass out.

fall through, to come to nothing; fail of realization: Despite all his efforts, the deal fell through.

fall to,

to apply oneself; begin: to fall to work.
to begin to eat: They fell to and soon finished off the entire turkey.

fall under,

to be the concern or responsibility of.
to be classified as; be included within: That case falls under the heading of errors of judgment.

Origin of fall

before 900; Middle English fallen, Old English feallan; cognate with German fallen, Old Norse falla; akin to Lithuanian pùlti to fall

Related formsun·fall·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for fell

I took out my knife, my Ka-Bar, and knocked his teeth out, but they fell into his throat.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In fact, Clark fell back first from her blows, losing his cap, tie, and badge in the melee.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As night fell, the rescue operation slowed and sea conditions worsened.
‘We’re Going to Die’: Survivors Recount Greek Ferry Fire Horror|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was Air France Flight 447, which fell into the south Atlantic in 2009.
Red Tape and Black Boxes: Why We Keep ‘Losing’ Airliners in 2014|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Days away from her dream being fulfilled, it all fell apart.
The Insurance Company Promised a Gender Reassignment. Then They Made a Mistake.|James Joiner|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The men rode toward the rear of the herd, one on each side, and Arlie fell in beside her old playmate, Dick.
A Texas Ranger|William MacLeod Raine
The conspirators now fell upon him with their swords and quickly despatched him.
The Cathedrals of Great Britain|P. H. Ditchfield
It was well aimed, but was also caught on the shield, and fell broken to the ground.
The Norsemen in the West|R.M. Ballantyne
Thus the long line of the Bishop-Princes of Lige, and the place in which for centuries they had been inaugurated, fell together.
Belgium|George W. T. (George William Thomson) Omond
Back he fell, as the poker descended upon his head with a force that again stunned him.
Wizard Will|Prentiss Ingraham

British Dictionary definitions for fell (1 of 7)

fell

/ (fɛl) /

verb (tr)

to cut or knock downto fell a tree; to fell an opponent

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

noun

US and Canadian the timber felled in one season

a seam finished by felling

Derived Formsfellable, adjective

Word Origin for fell

Old English fellan; related to Old Norse fella, Old High German fellen; see fall

British Dictionary definitions for fell (2 of 7)

fell

/ (fɛl) /

adjective

archaic cruel or fierce; terrible

archaic destructive or deadlya fell disease

one fell swoop a single hasty action or occurrence

Derived Formsfellness, noun

Word Origin for fell

C13 fel, from Old French: cruel, from Medieval Latin fellō villain; see felon 1

British Dictionary definitions for fell (3 of 7)

fell

/ (fɛl) /

verb

the past tense of fall

British Dictionary definitions for fell (4 of 7)

fell

⁴

/ (fɛl) /

noun

an animal skin or hide

Word Origin for fell

Old English; related to Old High German fel skin, Old Norse berfjall bearskin, Latin pellis skin; see peel 1

British Dictionary definitions for fell (5 of 7)

fell

⁵

/ (fɛl) /

noun

(often plural) Northern English and Scot

a mountain, hill, or tract of upland moor
(in combination)fell-walking

Word Origin for fell

C13: from Old Norse fjall; related to Old High German felis rock

British Dictionary definitions for fell (6 of 7)

Fall

/ (fɔːl) /

noun

the Fall theol Adam's sin of disobedience and the state of innate sinfulness ensuing from this for himself and all mankindSee also original sin

British Dictionary definitions for fell (7 of 7)

fall

/ (fɔːl) /

verb falls, falling, fell (fɛl) or fallen (ˈfɔːlən) (mainly intr)

to descend by the force of gravity from a higher to a lower place

to drop suddenly from an erect position

to collapse to the ground, esp in pieces

to become less or lower in number, quality, etcprices fell in the summer

to become lower in pitch

to extend downwardsher hair fell to her waist

to be badly wounded or killed

to slope in a downward direction

Christianity to yield to temptation or sin

to diminish in status, estimation, etc

to yield to attackthe city fell under the assault

to lose powerthe government fell after the riots

to pass into or take on a specified conditionto fall asleep; fall in love

to adopt a despondent expressionher face fell

to be avertedher gaze fell

to come by chance or presumptionsuspicion fell on the butler

to occur; take placenight fell; Easter falls early this year

(of payments) to be due

to be directed to a specific point

(foll by back, behind, etc) to move in a specified direction

to occur at a specified placethe accent falls on the last syllable

(foll by to) to return (to); be inherited (by)the estate falls to the eldest son

(often foll by into, under, etc) to be classified or includedthe subject falls into two main areas

to issue fortha curse fell from her lips

(of animals, esp lambs) to be born

British dialect to become pregnant

(tr) Australian and NZ dialect to fell (trees)

cricket (of a batsman's wicket) to be taken by the bowling sidethe sixth wicket fell for 96

archaic to begin to dofall a-doing; fall to doing

fall flat to fail to achieve a desired effect

fall foul of

to come into conflict with
nautical to come into collision with

fall short

to prove inadequate
(often foll by of) to fail to reach or measure up to (a standard)

noun

an act or instance of falling

something that fallsa fall of snow

mainly US autumn

the distance that something fallsa hundred-foot fall

a sudden drop from an upright position

(often plural)

a waterfall or cataract
(capital when part of a name)Niagara Falls

a downward slope or decline

a decrease in value, number, etc

a decline in status or importance

a moral lapse or failing

a capture or overthrowthe fall of the city

a long false hairpiece; switch

a piece of loosely hanging material, such as a veil on a hat

machinery nautical the end of a tackle to which power is applied to hoist it

nautical one of the lines of a davit for holding, lowering, or raising a boat

Also called: pinfall wrestling a scoring move, pinning both shoulders of one's opponent to the floor for a specified period

hunting

another word for deadfall
(as modifier)a fall trap

the birth of an animal
the animals produced at a single birth

take the fall slang, mainly US to be blamed, punished, or imprisoned

Word Origin for fall

Old English feallan; related to Old Norse falla, Old Saxon, Old High German fallan to fall; see fell ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fell (1 of 7)

fell

v.1

Old English fællan (Mercian), fyllan (West Saxon) "make fall, cause to fall," also "strike down, demolish, kill," from Proto-Germanic *fallijanan (cf. Old Frisian falla, Old Saxon fellian, Dutch fellen, Old High German fellen, German fällen, Old Norse fella, Danish fælde), causative of *fallan (Old English feallan, see fall (v.)), showing i-mutation. Related: Felled; feller; felling.

Word Origin and History for fell (1 of 7)

fell

adj.

"cruel," late 13c., from Old French fel "cruel, fierce, vicious," from Medieval Latin fello "villain" (see felon). Phrase at one fell swoop is from "Macbeth."

Word Origin and History for fell (2 of 7)

fell

n.1

"rocky hill," c.1300, from Old Norse fiall "mountain," from Proto-Germanic *felzam- "rock" (cf. German Fels "stone, rock"), from PIE root *pel(i)s- "rock, cliff."

Word Origin and History for fell (3 of 7)

fell

v.2

Old English feoll; past tense of fall (v.).

Word Origin and History for fell (4 of 7)

fell

n.2

"skin or hide of an animal," Old English fel, from Proto-Germanic *fellom- (cf. Old Frisian fel, Old Saxon fel, Dutch vel, Old High German fel, German fell, Old Norse fiall, Gothic fill), from PIE *pello- (see film (n.)).

Word Origin and History for fell (5 of 7)

fall

Old English feallan (class VII strong verb; past tense feoll, past participle feallen) "to fall; fail, decay, die," from Proto-Germanic *fallanan (cf. Old Frisian falla, Old Saxon fallan, Dutch vallen, Old Norse falla, Old High German fallan, German fallen), from PIE root *pol- "to fall" (cf. Armenian p'ul "downfall," Lithuanian puola "to fall," Old Prussian aupallai "finds," literally "falls upon").

Most of the figurative senses had developed in Middle English. Meaning "to be reduced" (as temperature) is from 1650s. To fall in love is attested from 1520s; to fall asleep is late 14c. Fall through "come to naught" is from 1781. To fall for something is from 1903.

Word Origin and History for fell (6 of 7)

fall

c.1200, "a falling;" see fall (n.). Old English noun form, fealle, meant "snare, trap." Sense of "autumn" (now only in U.S.) is 1660s, short for fall of the leaf (1540s). That of "cascade, waterfall" is from 1570s. Wrestling sense is from 1550s. Of a city under siege, etc., 1580s. Fall guy is from 1906.

Idioms and Phrases with fell (1 of 2)

fell

see one fell swoop.

Idioms and Phrases with fell (2 of 2)

fall

In addition to the idioms beginning with fall

fall all over oneself
fall apart
fall asleep
fall away
fall back
fall back on
fall behind
fall between the cracks
fall by the wayside
fall down
fall flat
fall for
fall from grace
fall guy
fall in
falling down drunk
fall in line
fall in love
fall in place
fall into
fall in with
fall off
fall off the wagon
fall on
fall on deaf ears
fall on one's face
fall on one's feet
fall out
fall over
fall short of
fall through
fall through the cracks
fall to
fall under

also see:

bottom drops (falls) out
break one's fall
easy as pie (falling off a log)
let drop (fall)
let the chips fall where they may
ride for a fall
take the fall

fell

verb

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Definition for fell (2 of 6)

fell

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of fell

Definition for fell (3 of 6)

fell

adjective

Origin of fell

Definition for fell (4 of 6)

fell

noun

Origin of fell

Definition for fell (5 of 6)

fell

noun Scot. and North England.

Origin of fell

Definition for fell (6 of 6)

fall

verb (used without object), fell, fall·en, fall·ing.

verb (used with object), fell, fall·en, fall·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of fall

Examples from the Web for fell

British Dictionary definitions for fell (1 of 7)

fell

verb (tr)

noun

Word Origin for fell

British Dictionary definitions for fell (2 of 7)

fell

adjective

Word Origin for fell

British Dictionary definitions for fell (3 of 7)

fell

verb

British Dictionary definitions for fell (4 of 7)

fell

noun

Word Origin for fell

British Dictionary definitions for fell (5 of 7)

fell

noun

Word Origin for fell

British Dictionary definitions for fell (6 of 7)

Fall

noun

British Dictionary definitions for fell (7 of 7)

fall

verb falls, falling, fell (fɛl) or fallen (ˈfɔːlən) (mainly intr)

noun

Word Origin for fall

Word Origin and History for fell (1 of 7)

fell

Word Origin and History for fell (1 of 7)

fell

Word Origin and History for fell (2 of 7)

fell

Word Origin and History for fell (3 of 7)

fell

Word Origin and History for fell (4 of 7)

fell

Word Origin and History for fell (5 of 7)

fall

Word Origin and History for fell (6 of 7)

fall

Idioms and Phrases with fell (1 of 2)

fell

Idioms and Phrases with fell (2 of 2)

fall