to fall out
3
6.4
- phrasal verb
- /fɔl aʊt/
- Jargon
:
romper filas
- Corporals, fall out!
Examples
-
Fall out, boys.
-
Fall out!
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Regiment, fall out by company to receive pay.
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- Class, fall out for chow.
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When Mr. Charles blows his whistle, they fall out and lie on the ground like they've all been shot.
Fiction book (1995) -
"All hands fall out for wedding drill," shouted a huge, thick-necked man.
Fiction book (1995) -
SOLDIER 2: Fall out!
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When the sergeant shouted, "fall out!", all the soldiers filed out of the barracks.
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Before we could head home, the officer instructed us to fall out and double check our gear.
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At the end of the day, the commanding officer ordered everyone to fall out for a headcount.
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal meanings of 'fall' (to move downward or happen) and 'out' (away/outside) give a clue of movement away from a group, so a learner could infer a general sense of leaving. However, the specific military usage 'leave formation/on order' is a specialized, conventionalized command and phrasal verbs with 'out' are variable in meaning, so the exact sense is not fully predictable without exposure.
Etymology
Fall out can mean 'to leave a formation when ordered' and comes from the military order to fall out, meaning step out of the ranks. That's why it means 'soldiers leaving their line on command'.