To be or become deficient or lacking, as something expected or desired; fall short, cease, disappear, or be wanting, either wholly or partially; be insufficient or absent: as, the stream fails in summer; our supplies failed.To decline; sink; grow faint; become weaker.To come short or be wanting in action, detail, or result; disappoint or prove lacking in what is attempted, expected, desired, or approved: often followed by an infinitive or by of or in: as, he failed to come; the experiment failed of success; he fails in duty; the portrait fails in expression.To become unable to meet one's engagements, especially one's debts or business obligations; become insolvent or bankrupt.=Syn, 1. To fall short, come short, give out.To wane, fade, weaken.To come to naught, prove abortive.To break, suspend payment.To be wanting to; disappoint; desert; leave in the lurch.To omit; leave unbestowed or unperformed; neglect to keep or observe: as, to fail an appointment.To come short of; miss; lack.To deceive; delude; mislead.n. Lack; absence or cessation.n. Failure; deficiency: now only in the phrase without fail (which see, below).n. A failure, failing, or fault.n. A piece cut off from the rest of the sward; a turf; a sod.n. A woman's upper garment. Halliwell. See faille.