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to fall

to fall

1.0
Move or drop down from a higher to a lower place
  • verb
  • /fɔl/
translation icon : caerse
  • As he lost his balance, he started to fall backward onto the ground.
  • fall to the ground
  • rain falls
  • snow falls

Trying not not to fall on my way home.

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Examples

  • The first thing you learn is that things fall down, not up, right?

  • Every man that's walking will fall from time to time.

  • I said it was going to fall on me.

  • I do not believe it will fall, really.

  • Trying not not to fall on my way home.

  • I'll try not to fall down South.

  • Lifting her feet turned out to be a big challenge, and she fell on her first attempt.

    Academic text (2011)
  • A boy is riding his bike, and he falls and scrapes his knee.

    Academic text (2008)
  • In my dizzied state, I fell and hit my head on the ground. Concussion number three.

    Academic text (2011)
  • She tries to stand, but then she just falls and Jace caught her.

Synonyms

to fall down
vsto fall
250 1.0

Suddenly move from a standing position to the ground or a lower level

is about moving down by gravity and not specifically losing upright posture
to come down
vsto fall
221 2.8

To become lower, for example temperature or prices

focuses more on sudden physical downward movement rather than general lowering
to descend
vsto fall
150 2.7

Move from a higher to a lower place

is typically sudden or caused directly by gravity rather than orderly movement
to plummet
vsto fall
93 5.8

Fall suddenly and steeply from a high place or in amount

is similar but more general, not always as steep or extreme
to plunge
vsto fall
83 3.8

To fall or drop suddenly from a higher to a lower place

is the broader term that does not always imply steepness or speed
to fall over
vsto fall
67 1.0

To lose your balance or stop being steady and end up on the ground

is a general downward movement often without the balance or trip cause
to hit the ground
vsto fall
64 3.6

Touch the ground after falling or being dropped

emphasizes the movement itself rather than the final contact with a surface
to drop down
vsto fall
34 1.8

To fall from a higher place to a lower place

is usually sudden or clearly gravity driven rather than gradual movement
to take a tumble
vsto fall
7 5.4

To fall suddenly, for example by tripping or by losing value

covers downward movement broadly, not only accidental trips or minor incidents
to drop off
vsto fall
3 2.9

To fall from where it is fixed or held

describes simple downward movement by gravity rather than separation from a hold

To drop suddenly onto the floor and lie face down or stretched out

describes general downward movement and not the specific body position after it

Antonyms

718 1.0

To move upward into the air, like smoke or mist

54 4.0

To move upward to a higher place, for example up a hill or into the sky

Idioms

To become available to people who might use it to harm others

11 6.5

Stop taking part or trying because of problems

A loss of status and respect after wrongdoing

To accept what happens and not try to change the result

6 7.6

To fail badly and embarrass yourself in front of other people

To fail completely and feel embarrassed in front of others

4 8.4

To accept blame or quit a job to protect other people

4 6.4

To get something good without trying or expecting it

To begin behaving badly again and lose people's respect

Not get noticed or dealt with

Children often look and behave like their parents

1 6.4

To react strongly because something is very funny or surprising

To not be easily fooled because you have experience

To get something good without effort or planning

1 9.1

To lose your balance and land on your backside in an awkward or embarrassing way

Suddenly fail completely because it is weak or badly built

To die as a Christian who trusts in God and expects life after death

Fail at the final stage after earlier success

To look much less attractive after a sudden change

Fail to reach either goal because you try to do both

Things sold or bought secretly because they were stolen

To die or suddenly lose an important position

To get things someone probably stole and sold cheaply

8.8

To go to bed or sleep

Accept a big risk to protect other people

To keep trying after many failures no matter how often you fail

Hug someone tightly because you feel very happy or relieved

Continue doing something with energy until you can no longer

Phrasal Verbs

950 2.5

To begin to feel strong romantic feelings for someone

To begin to feel strong romantic feelings for someone or something

376 1.0

To start sleeping

272 3.7

To join a group, team, or club

250 1.0

Suddenly move from a standing position to the ground or a lower level

to fall apart
  • Informal
193 4.2

To lose control of your feelings because of strong stress or sadness

155 2.8

To break into pieces or stop working properly

to fall for
  • Informal
148 4.3

To be tricked into believing something that is not true

137 3.6

To belong to a group or type

117 2.3

Separate from something by breaking or dropping

85 1.4

Lose your balance and drop down from something like a ladder

to fall for
  • Informal
84 3.7

To start to like someone as more than a friend

To not keep up with others or a schedule

67 1.0

To lose your balance or stop being steady and end up on the ground

64 3.9

Fail to reach the level people expect

57 3.7

To move back to a safer place when facing danger

to take the fall
  • Informal
55 7.5

Accept blame or punishment, often instead of someone else

53 3.5

To come out and drop from where it grew or was held

50 3.4

To be part of a group or category

49 2.6

Become less in number, amount, or quality

46 4.3

To use something for help when other options fail

To become clear and easy to understand after confusion

To fail to happen or be finished as planned

30 4.4

To collapse inward, as a roof or organization breaking down

To not reach the level people expect

Suffer harm you cannot avoid because of someone or something bad

23 3.0

To happen on a certain day or date

to fall flat
  • Informal
19 4.9

To fail to get a response or interest from people

19 4.3

To become less in amount or quality

to fall in line
  • Informal
18 4.3

To follow rules or other people after not wanting to at first

to fall in
  • Jargon
16 6.3

To form a line with other soldiers when ordered

15 3.6

To stop being friendly with someone after an argument

13 4.2

To begin an old bad habit again after trying to change

13 3.6

To move quickly backwards and lose balance so you land on something

9 4.4

To happen as a direct result of something

8 3.8

To move behind others in speed or progress

5 3.6

To find something by chance

4 3.0

To move apart by itself suddenly because of surprise or gravity

to fall out
  • Jargon
3 6.4

For soldiers to leave a formation when an officer gives an order

To move back when others move forward

to fall all over
  • Informal
1 7.6

To praise or thank someone too much and show strong liking for them

To drop into a hole by accident

Become tricked into a bad or dangerous situation

1 3.6

Start acting the same as before after trying to change

to fall around
  • Informal
1 4.2

Move and tumble on the ground in a happy, playful way

to fall asleep
  • Specialized
1 3.0

To go into low-power mode automatically when a device is idle

Start doing the same things in the same order every day

To drop suddenly onto the floor and lie face down or stretched out

To be tricked by someone's flattering words

To stop being noticed or thought about by someone

4.8

To try very hard to please or help someone more than needed

To feel sad or discouraged

Compounds

fall guy
  • Informal
19 7.6

A person who others blame so they avoid punishment

free fall
  • Specialized
6 4.0

Movement of something downwards while only gravity pulls it

6 4.6

A sudden large drop in value, often of stocks or prices

1 6.0

A moment when a play or show ends and the curtain comes down

Fall of Man
  • Literature
1 8.9

An event in the Bible when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, lost their innocence, and left the Garden

fall armyworm
  • Specialized
8.6

A caterpillar that eats and destroys corn and other grass crops

fall girl
  • Offensive
9.2

A woman who is easily tricked and often blamed for other people's mistakes

fall cankerworm
  • Specialized
9.9

A green or brown caterpillar with white stripes that eats tree leaves in autumn

A small European plant with yellow flowers that blooms in the fall and is now common in North America

6.0

The time when day and night are almost the same length, marking the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere

Fall of man
  • Literature
9.9

A Christian belief that people lose their innocence when they disobey God

fall webworm
  • Specialized
9.9

A caterpillar that lives in large silk nests on tree branches and eats the leaves in late summer and fall

4.7

A plant that produces flowers in autumn

A bush that loses its leaves and has large cone-shaped flowers in fall

A cover that folds down to protect piano keys when not played

How Fast

to plummet
93 5.8
to tumble
88 2.9
to fall
1.0
to descend
150 2.7

Surface Forms

fall infinitive
falling present participle
falls third person singular
fell past
fallen past participle

Etymology

Fall comes from an old English word feallan meaning 'to fall' or 'drop'. So to fall is to move or drop down from a higher place to a lower one.