Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FAIL, v.i. [Fr. faillir. W. faelu, or pallu and aballu; Scot. failye; It. fallire; Sp. falir, faltar; Port. falhar; L. fallo. Ir. feallam; Gr. φηλεω, φηλοω, whence σφαλλω; D. feilen, faalen; G. fehlen; Sw. fela; Dan. fejler; Arm. fallaat, fellel, whence falloni, wickedness, Eng. felony. It seems to be allied to fall, fallow, pale, and many other words. See Class Bl, No. 6, 7, 8, 13, 18, 21, 28.]

1. To become deficient; to be insufficient; to cease to be abundant for supply; or to be entirely wanting. We say, in a dry season, the springs and streams fail, or are failing, before they are entirely exhausted. We say also, the springs failed, when they entirely ceased to flow. Crops fail wholly or partially.
2. To decay; to decline; to sink; to be diminished. We say of a sick person, his strength fails daily.
3. To decline; to decay; sink; to become weaker; as, the patient fails every hour.
4. To be extinct; to cease; to be entirely wanting; to be no longer produced. Help, Lord, for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Ps. xii.
5. To be entirely exhausted; to be wanting; to cease from supply. Money failed in the land of Egypt. Gen. xlvii.
6. To cease; to perish; to be lost. Lest the remembrance of his grief should fail. Addison.
7. To die. They shall all fail together. Is. xxxi.
8. To decay; to decline; as, the sight fails in old age.
9. To become deficient or wanting; as, the heart or the courage fails.
10. To miss; not to produce the effect. The experiment was made with care, but failed, or failed to produce the effect, or failed of the effect.
11. To be deficient in duty; to omit or neglect. The debtor failed to fulfill his promise. .
12. To miss; to miscarry; to be frustrated or disappointed. The enemy attacked the fort, but failed in his design, or failed of success.
13. To be neglected; to fall short; not to be executed. The promises of a man of probity seldom fail. The soul or the spirit fails, when a person is discouraged. The eyes fail, when the desires and expectations are long delayed, and the person is disappointed.
14. To become insolvent or bankrupt. When merchants and traders fail, they are said to become bankrupt. When other men fail, they are said to become insolvent.