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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Fail \Fail\, n. [OF. faille, from failir. See {Fail}, v. i.]
1. Miscarriage; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly
superseded by {failure} or {failing}, except in the phrase
without fail. "His highness' fail of issue." --Shak.
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2. Death; decease. [Obs.] --Shak.
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Failing \Fail"ing\, n.
1. A failing short; a becoming deficient; failure;
deficiency; imperfection; weakness; lapse; fault;
infirmity; as, a mental failing.
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And ever in her mind she cast about
For that unnoticed failing in herself. --Tennyson.
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2. The act of becoming insolvent of bankrupt.

Syn: See {Fault}.
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Fail \Fail\ (f[=a]l) v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Failed} (f[=a]ld); p.
pr. & vb. n. {Failing}.] [F. failir, fr. L. fallere, falsum,
to deceive, akin to E. fall. See {Fail}, and cf. {Fallacy},
{False}, {Fault}.]
1. To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in
any measure or degree up to total absence; to cease to be
furnished in the usual or expected manner, or to be
altogether cut off from supply; to be lacking; as, streams
fail; crops fail.
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As the waters fail from the sea. --Job xiv. 11.
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Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign.
--Shak.
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2. To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be
deficient or unprovided; -- used with of.
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If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not be
attributed to their size. --Berke.
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3. To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay;
to sink.
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When earnestly they seek
Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail.
--Milton.
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4. To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources,
etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails.
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5. To perish; to die; -- used of a person. [Obs.]
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Had the king in his last sickness failed. --Shak.
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6. To be found wanting with respect to an action or a duty to
be performed, a result to be secured, etc.; to miss; not
to fulfill expectation.
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Take heed now that ye fail not to do this. --Ezra
iv. 22.
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Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale.
--Shak.
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7. To come short of a result or object aimed at or desired;
to be baffled or frusrated.
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Our envious foe hath failed. --Milton.
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8. To err in judgment; to be mistaken.
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Which ofttimes may succeed, so as perhaps
Shall grieve him, if I fail not. --Milton.
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9. To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to
be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business
obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent; as, many
credit unions failed in the late 1980's.
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