fall (n.)

  1. the season when the leaves fall from the trees; in the fall of 1973

    [ Syn: autumn ]

  2. when a wrestlers shoulders are forced to the mat

    [ Syn: pin ]

  3. a free and rapid descent by the force of gravity; it was a miracle that he survived the drop from that height

    [ Syn: drop , drop ]

  4. a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity; a drop of 57 points on the Dow Jones index; there was a drop in pressure in the pulmonary artery; a dip in prices; when that became known the price of their stock went into free fall

    [ Syn: drop , dip , free fall ]

  5. a sudden drop from an upright position; he had a nasty spill on the ice

    [ Syn: spill , tumble ]

  6. the lapse of mankind into sinfulness because of the sin of Adam and Eve; women have been blamed ever since the Fall

    [ Syn: fall ]

  7. a downward slope or bend

    [ Syn: descent , declivity , decline , declination , declension , downslope ]

  8. a lapse into sin; a loss of innocence or of chastity; a fall from virtue'

  9. a sudden decline in strength or number or importance; the fall of the House of Hapsburg

    [ Syn: downfall ]

  10. a movement downward; the rise and fall of the tides'

  11. the act of surrendering (usually under agreed conditions); they were protected until the capitulation of the fort

    [ Syn: capitulation , surrender ]

  12. the time of day immediately following sunset; he loved the twilight; they finished before the fall of night

    [ Syn: twilight , dusk , gloaming , gloam , nightfall , evenfall , crepuscule , crepuscle ]

    fall (v.)

  1. descend in free fall under the influence of gravity; The branch fell from the tree; The unfortunate hiker fell into a crevasse'

  2. occur at a specified time or place; Christmas falls on a Monday this year; The accent falls on the first syllable'

  3. decrease in size, extent, or range; The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester; The cabin pressure fell dramatically; her weight fell to under a hundred pounds; his voice fell to a whisper

    [ Syn: decrease , diminish , lessen ]

  4. yield to temptation or sin; Adam and Eve fell'

  5. lose office or power; The government fell overnight; The Qing Dynasty fell with Sun Yat-sen'

  6. to be given by assignment or distribution; The most difficult task fell on the youngest member of the team; The onus fell on us; The pressure to succeed fell on the youngest student'

  7. move in a specified direction; The line of men fall forward'

  8. be due; payments fall on the 1st of the month'

  9. lose one's chastity; a fallen woman'

  10. to be given by right or inheritance; The estate fell to the oldest daughter'

  11. come into the possession of; The house accrued to the oldest son

    [ Syn: accrue ]

  12. move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way; The temperature is going down; The barometer is falling; The curtain fell on the diva; Her hand went up and then fell again

    [ Syn: descend , descend , go down , go down , come down , come down ]

  13. fall to somebody by assignment or lot; The task fell to me; It fell to me to notify the parents of the victims

    [ Syn: light ]

  14. be inherited by; The estate fell to my sister; The land returned to the family; The estate devolved to an heir that everybody had assumed to be dead

    [ Syn: return , pass , devolve ]

  15. slope downward; The hills around here fall towards the ocean'

  16. lose an upright position suddenly; The vase fell over and the water spilled onto the table; Her hair fell across her forehead

    [ Syn: fall down ]

  17. drop oneself to a lower or less erect position; She fell back in her chair; He fell to his knees'

  18. fall or flow in a certain way; This dress hangs well; Her long black hair flowed down her back

    [ Syn: hang , flow ]

  19. assume a disappointed or sad expression; Her face fell when she heard that she would be laid off; his crest fell'

  20. be cast down; his eyes fell'

  21. come out; issue; silly phrases fell from her mouth'

  22. be born, used chiefly of lambs; The lambs fell in the afternoon'

  23. pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind; fall into a trap; She fell ill; They fell out of favor; Fall in love; fall asleep; fall prey to an imposter; fall into a strange way of thinking; she fell to pieces after she lost her work'

  24. begin vigorously; The prisoners fell to work right away'

  25. go as if by falling; Grief fell from our hearts'

  26. come as if by falling; Night fell; Silence fell

    [ Syn: descend , settle ]

  27. come under, be classified or included; fall into a category; This comes under a new heading

    [ Syn: come ]

  28. fall from clouds; rain, snow and sleet were falling; Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum

    [ Syn: precipitate , come down ]

  29. suffer defeat, failure, or ruin; We must stand or fall; fall by the wayside'

  30. die, as in battle or in a hunt; Many soldiers fell at Verdun; Several deer have fallen to the same gun; The shooting victim fell dead'

  31. touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly; Light fell on her face; The sun shone on the fields; The light struck the golden necklace; A strange sound struck my ears

    [ Syn: shine , strike ]

  32. be captured; The cities fell to the enemy'

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.