0 to not succeed in what you are trying to achieve or are expected to do:
She moved to London in the hope of finding work as a model, but failed.
[ + to infinitive ] She failed to reach the Wimbledon Final this year.
The reluctance of either side to compromise means that the talks are doomed to (= will certainly) fail.
1 to be unsuccessful, or to judge that someone has been unsuccessful, in a test or exam:
2 to not do something that you should do:
[ + to infinitive ] He failed to arrive on time.
The staff had been promised a rise, but the money failed to (= did not) materialize.
You couldn't fail to be (= it is impossible that you would not be) affected by the movie.
I'd be failing in my duty if I didn't tell you about the risks involved in the project.
3 to become weaker or stop working completely:
5 an unsuccessful result in a course, test, or exam:
6 If you do something without fail, you always do it:
7 to not be able to do what you are trying to achieve or are expected to do:
[ + to infinitive ] She applied to Harvard University but failed to get accepted.
[ + to infinitive ] I fail to see what the problem is (= I don’t think there is a problem).
8 to be unsuccessful, or to judge that someone has been unsuccessful in a test or examination:
9 to not do something that should be done:
[ + to infinitive ] He promised to help, but failed to send a check.
[ + to infinitive ] She never fails to meet a deadline.
10 to become weaker or stop working completely:
11 to not succeeed in something you are trying to do:
12 if a business fails, it is unsuccessful and cannot continue to operate:
Over 3000 small businesses failed in the first quarter of the year.
Is it better for the economy to let unsuccessful companies fail or to bail them out?
13 to not pass an exam or test, or not reach a necessary standard:
About half of all candidates taking the more advanced exams fail.
The company repeatedly failed inspections by Health and Safety officials.
15 to not do something that you should do:
I shudder to think what my parents will say when I tell them I've failed my exams.
Agricultural companies have failed to convince consumers that GM foods are safe.
If this project fails it will affect not only our department, but also the whole organization.
He's dreading his driving test - he's sure he's going to fail.
Just because you wrote one bad essay, it doesn't mean you're going to fail your exam.
中文繁体
未成功, 失敗, 未能做到…
More中文简体
未成功, 失败, 未能做到…
MoreEspañol
suspender, fracasar, fallar…
MorePortuguês
ser reprovado (em), reprovar, fracassar…
More日本語
試験に落ちる, ~が失敗する, (機械、電気)が故障する…
MoreTürk dili
başarısız olmak, sınavı başaramamak, başarısızlığına karar vermek…
MoreFrançais
échouer, ne pas réussir, manquer…
MoreCatalan
suspendre, fracassar, fallar…
More