Fail v.

Forms: 3–4 faile-n, (4–5 faylen), 3–5 fail(l)i, 3–6 faille(n, faylle, 3–7 faile, (3 vaile), fayle, -y, 4–6 faly(e, (4 failly, fal(l)e, feile, 6 feyle, faeille, 7 faill, fall), 3– fail. Sc. 4–6 failȝe (6–7 printed failze), (6 falȝe, 7 failyie), faillie. [a. OF. faillir to be wanting, miss (mod.F. faillir to miss, falloir impers. to be wanting, to be necessary) = Pr. faillir, falhir, OSp. fallir (in mod.Sp. replaced by the derivative form fallecer, f. L. type *fallescĕre), Cat., OPg. falir (mod.Pg. falecer), It. fallire:—vulgar L. *fallīre (for class. L. fallĕre to deceive), used absol. in sense ‘to disappoint expectation, be wanting or defective.’ The OF. verb was adopted in MHG. vêlen (mod.G. fehlen), Du. feilen, ON. feila.

  In 15–17th c. in intrans. senses often conjugated with be.]

  I.  To be or become deficient.

  1.  intr. To be absent or wanting. Now only of something necessary or desirable (coinciding with sense 5); often in pr. pple. with sb. or pron., as failing this = ‘in default of this’ (see FAILING prep.). In early use, † To be wanting to complete a specified quantity; also impers.

a. 1300.  Cursor Mundi, 1486 (Cott.).

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 741. What if fyue faylen of fyfty þe noumbre?

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), xvii. 182. There faylethe but 5 Degrees & an half, of the fourthe partie.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 63. Make þat þe splentis & byndynge faile above þe wounde.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 4279. Forþi failis vs all infirmit[e]s · of ffeuyre & of ells.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 284/3. Yf the preues of the lignages were fayled, he shold make them byleue that his lygnage apperteyned to them of Israel.

1543–4.  Act 35 Hen. VIII., c. 1 § 6 If suche heyres shulde fayle.

1611.  Bible, 2 Sam. iii. 29. Let there not faile from the house of Ioab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

1703.  Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), 128. Shaded over head with Trees, and with Matts when the boughs fail.

1878.  Browning, La Saisiaz, 423.

  † b.  with dat. of the person. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor Mundi, 11426 (Gött.). þaim fayled neuer drinc ne fode.

a. 1300.  Legends of the Holy Rood (1871). 30. Þo þe work was al-mest ido; hem vailed a vair tre.

c. 1300.  The Metrical Life of St. Brandan, 510.

1424.  Paston Letters, 4 I. 12. Hem fayled ropes convenient to here felonowse purpos.

1611.  Bible, 1 Kings ii. 4. If thy children take heede to their way, to walke before mee in trueth, with all their heart, and with all their soule, there shall not faile thee (sayd hee) a man on the throne of Israel.

  c.  To be inadequate or insufficient. Chiefly in phrase time would fail. Const. dat. of person.

c. 1315.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 548. Tyl any water in þe worlde to wasche þe fayly.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 244. Kyng James would make no aunswere … knowing that his power now fayled … to performe the request demaunded.

1611.  Bible, Heb. xi. 32. The time would faile mee to tell of Gedeon.

1614.  Bp. Hall, A Recollection of such Treatises, 612. The day would faile mee if I should epitomize the volume of their holy rites, or gather vp those which it hath omitted.

  2.  To become exhausted, come to an end, run short. Const. dat. of the person; also, † of, from (a place, receptacle).

c. 1250.  Old Kentish Serm., in O. E. Misc., 29. Iuel auenture þet wyn failede at þise bredale.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 326. Alle þer store failed.

1382.  Wyclif, 1 Macc. iii. 29. He sawȝ, that monee failide of his tresours.

c. 1400.  Cato’s Morals, 85, in Cursor Mundi, App. iv.

1596.  Spenser, F. Q., IV. i. 43. The breath gan him to fayle.

1611.  Bible, 1 Kings xvii. 14. The barrell of meale shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oile faile, vntill the day that the LORD sendeth raine vpon the earth. Ibid., Job xiv. 11. The waters faile from the sea.

1653.  H. Holcroft, Procopius, II. xvi. 58. Their Provisions being failed, they fed upon Hides.

1695.  Locke, Further Consider. Money (ed. 2), 68. Where the credit and money fail, barter alone must do.

1729.  Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 146. All other enjoyments fail in these circumstances.

1801.  Southey, Thalaba, IV. xviii.

1871.  B. Taylor, Faust (1875), II. II. iii. 124.

  b.  To become extinct; to die out, lose vitality, pass away. Of an odour or sound: To die away.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xv. 68. Machometes lawe sall faile, as þe Iewez lawe es failed, and þat ve Cristen lawe schall last to þe werldes end.

1463.  Bury Wills (Camden), 18. If the office of Seynt Marie preest fayle.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 393. Of him the airis maill did falȝe.

1611.  Bible, Esther ix. 28. These dayes of Purim should not faile from among the Jewes.

1647–8.  Cotterell, Davila’s Hist. Fr. (1678), 5. It has often been found by experince, that the eldest Line failing, the Crown hath been devolved upon the younger family.

1764.  Goldsm., The Traveller, 91.

1767.  Blackstone, Comm., II. 239. The blood of the Kempes shall not inherit till the blood of the Stiles’s fail.

1819.  Shelley, The Indian Serenade, ii.

1837.  Newman, Par. Serm. (ed. 2), III. viii. 120. Religion seems to be failing when it is merely changing its form.

1842.  Tennyson, The Vision of Sin, 23.

  † c.  Of a period of time or anything that has a finite duration: To come to an end, expire. Obs.

1399.  Langl., Rich. Redeles, II. 14. Somere hem ffaylid.

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 14 b. As sone as the triews shall faylle ye shalbe guerdoned after yower fyerte.

1563.  Golding, Cæsar (1565), 96 b. Albeit that the season of the yeare mete for warrefare fayled, yet he thought it might be greatly for hys behoof, to go vnto the Iland and see what maner of men they were.

1611.  Bible, Heb. i. 12. Thou art the same and thy yeeres shall not fayle.

  † d.  To cease to speak of. Obs. rare.

c. 1650.  Merline, 1208. in Furnivall, The Percy Folio of Old English Ballads and Romances, I. 460.

  3.  ‘To fall off in respect of vigour or activity’ (W.); to lose power or strength; to flag, wane; to break down; fig. of the heart. Of the eyes, light, etc.: To grow dim.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 228. None deofles puffe ne þurue ȝe dreden, but ȝif þet lim ualse [v.r. faille].

c. 1275.  Lay., 2928. Þo holdede þe king [Leir] and failede his mihte.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, I. 726.

1382.  Wyclif, Isa. xiii. 7. Eche herte of a man shal wane, or faylen.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. viii. (1495), 54. The soule vegetable faylyth and at the laste whan the body deyth, it deyeth.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 3549. His sight failet.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 88. His heart fayled.

1667.  Milton, P. L., XII. 9.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., IV. 136.

1743.  Wesley, Jrnl., 20 Oct. And continued speaking for above a quarter of an hour, till my voice suddenly failed: then the floods began to lift up their voice again; many crying out, ‘Bring him away! bring him away!’

1820.  Shelley, Julian, 597. The poor sufferer’s health began to fail.

1833.  Ht. Martineau, Tale of Tyne, iv. 67. The wind also failed, which was a more merciful appointment than if it had blown a great storm.

1842.  Tennyson, Lady Clare, 77.

1860.  Ramsay, Remin., 1st Series (ed. 7), 107. In Scotland it used to be quite common to say of a person whose health and strength had declined, that he had failed.

1881.  S. Colvin, Landor, 136. A few weeks before, Landor has lost his mother. That kind, just, and in her own way the most shrewd and capable old lady, had been failing since the spring of 1829, and had died in October, at the close of her eighty-fifth year.

  b.  with dat. of the person (approaching sense 5).

a. 1300.  Cursor Mundi, 24000 (Cott.).

a. 1300.  Legends of the Holy Rood (1871), 20. Þe strengþe him failede of is lymes.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 1443. All failis þam þe force.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 47. My senses did faile me.

1611.  Bible, Luke xxi. 26. Mens hearts failing them for feare.

1678.  Trans. Crt. Spain, II. 61. If my memory fail me not.

1842.  Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life, III. ix. 136. His eyesight fails him now.

1871.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xviii. 116. At last the heart of Eustace failed him, as it had failed him on the steep of Malfosse amid the twilight of Saint Calixtus.

  c.  dial. To fall ill (of).

1875.  Parish, Sussex Gloss., s.v. ‘He looks to me very much as though he was going to fail with the measles.’

1876.  Surrey Provinc., Fail of, to fall ill of, to sicken with.

  † d.  To die. Obs. [So Sp. fallecer.]

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. ii. 184.

1878.  Cumberld. Gloss., Fail, to die.

  4.  To prove deficient upon trial. † Of fighting men: To give way (before an enemy). Of a material thing: To break down under strain or pressure (arch.). Of a rule, anticipation, sign: To prove misleading.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, II. 393.

c. 1398.  Chaucer, Fortune, 56. In general this rewle may not fayle.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 1372. With þat scho [a tower] flisch noþer fayle · fyue score aunkirs.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 133. Or ellis þou schalt knowe bi þis signe þat nevere failiþ.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Society), 47. Thyng counterfeet wol faylen [printed fayler] at assay.

1622.  R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea, xxxii. 76. Creatures … bred in ponds or fresh rivers, die presently, if they come into salt water. But some man may say, this fayleth in some fishes and beasts.

1776.  G. Semple, A Treatise on Building in Water, 18. Part of the Underwork of the second Pier of the Foot-way, failed and carried off by the Floods.

1782.  Cowper, The Diverting History of John Gilpin, 95.

1815.  T. Forster, Atmos. Phenom., 155. The abundance of berries in the hedges is said to presage a hard winter, but this often fails.

1855.  Tennyson, Maud, I. xi. 2.

  5.  Not to render the due or expected service or aid; to be wanting at need. Chiefly with dat. of the person, rarely with to. quasi-trans.: To disappoint, give no help to; to withhold help from.

a. 1300.  Floriz and Blaunchefleur, 423.

a. 1300.  King Horn, 638. Mi swerd me nolde faille.

c. 1305.  Edmund Conf., 592, in E. E. P. (1862), 86. Foreward he huld þis monekes: & ne faillede hem noȝt.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 99. Sir Lowys failed nouht, his help was him redie.

c. 1420.  Anturs of Arthur at Tarnwathelan, xlvi. Frettut with fyne gold, that failis in the fiȝte.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, i. 37. Serue the kynge, your ryght-wys lorde, nor faylle hym not for noo thyng.

1549.  Compl. Scot., viii. 74. The inglis men dreymis that ȝe haue failȝet to them.

1590.  Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 3 b. Al their other weapons in fight have failed them.

1771.  Mrs. Griffith, trans. Viaud’s Shipwreck, 44. If it [the shattered boat] should fail me … said I to myself.

1836.  Keble, Serm., viii. Postscript (1848), 373. The language, of which he was so unrivalled a master, fails him, as it were, in his endeavour to find words to express the greatness of the gift which he there apprehended.

a. 1845.  Lyte, Hymn, ‘Abide with me.’ When other helpers fail and comforts flee.

1871.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xviii. 222–3. Here again chronology fails us.

1881.  Dally Tel., 28 Jan. In the afternoon the wind failed us.

  † b.  trans. with double obj. or const. of: To disappoint of (something due or expected). Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Shipman’s T., 188. I wil nought faile yow my thankes.

1647.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), III. 7. Two posts having failed me of intelligence.

  II.  To have a deficiency or want; to lack.

  6.  intr. To be wanting or deficient in (an essential quality or part).

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 22. Men þat failen in charite.

c. 1384.  Chaucer, The House of Fame, III. 8. Though somme vers fayle in a sillable.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xiii. 58. Bot ȝit þai faile in sum articles of oure beleue.

1556.  Aurelio & Isab. (1608), K. v. Beter to faille a litell in the justice, than to be superflue in crualte.

1654.  Earl Orrery, Parthenissa (1676), 80. I have, Sir, to obey your commands, forc’d my inclination to relate unto you, a part of my unfortunate Life, least you might have fail’d in the knowledge of those particulars.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 114, Protagoras, Introduction. The Dialogue fails in unity.

  b.  To fail of: = 7.

1307.  Elegy Edw. I., x. (in Warton [1840], I. 94). Of gode knyhtes darh him nout fail.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Shipman’s T., 248. Of siluer in thy purs shaltow nat faille.

1495.  Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 9 § 1. The King … not willing his … subgettis to faill of remedy.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, I. (1625), 42. If I faile not of memory therein, we [etc.].

1651.  Marius, Adv. Conc. Bills of Exchange, 24. The drawer of the Bill was failed of his credit.

1671.  R. Bohun, Disc. Wind, 20. When the Atmosphere begins to thicken, and grow Ponderous, over our heads; wee seldom fail of a VVind, some small distance from thence; which likewise ceases when the showre is fallen.

1713.  Gay, The Guardian, No. 149, 1 Sept., ¶ 17. A dancing-master of the lowest rank seldom fails of the scarlet stocking and the red heel.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 150. Whenever the continent shall come to fail of timber convenient to navigation.

1867.  Longf., Giotto’s Tower, 6.

1884.  Manch. Exam., 22 May, 5/4. Failing of any other remedy, they grumble.

  7.  trans. To be or become deficient in; to lack, want, be without. Now rare.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1535. None oþer forme bot a fust faylaynde þe wryst.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, XVIII. 269. Thai of the host that falit met.

c. 1400.  The Sowdone of Babyloyne, 2290.

1466.  Marg. Paston, in Paston Letters, 560, II. 291. Send me word … whether ye have your last dedes that ye fayled.

1483.  Festivall (W. de W., 1515), 22. Whan Jacob fayled corne he must nedes sende for more.

1869.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 2), III. xi. 44. The Primate prayed that their chosen King might never fail the throne.

1883.  Jefferies, Stor. Heart, vii. 115. I fail words to express my utter contempt.

  † 8.  To fail little, not much: to have a narrow escape (of some misadventure). Const. to with inf. and of with gerund. Also, To fail of: to keep clear of, escape, miss. Obs.

1624.  Capt. Smith, Virginia, I. (1629), 13. Mistaking Virginia for Cape Fear, we fayled not much to haue beene cast away.

1653.  H. Holcroft, Procopius, IV. 130. These Vessells they fired and threw upon the Romans Rams, which failed little to be all set on fire.

1684.  J. Taylor, Contemplations of the State of Man, I. ii. (1699), 16. Crœsus, the most rich king of Lydia, who, being in hope to overthrow the Persians, not only lost his own kingdom, but fell into the power of his enemies, and failed a little of being burnt alive.

1724.  Swift, Drapier’s Lett., iv. That pernicious Counsel of sending base money hither very narrowly failed of losing the Kingdom.

1771.  Goldsm., Hist. Eng., II. 216. A weak prince … seldom fails of having his authority despised.

  III.  To fall short in performance or attainment.

  9.  intr. To make default; to be a defaulter; to come short of performing one’s duty or functions.

  fl. 1340.  Dan Michel of Northgate, The Ayenbite of Inwyt, 173. Vor yef he faileþ at his rekeninge: god nele nuȝt faly at his.

1389.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 30. And qwo falye, schal payen thre pound of wax.

1471.  Earl Warwick, in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. IV. I. 4. I pray you ffayle not now.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 394. Desyrand … To mak redres als far as tha had faillit.

1551.  Act Mary (1814), 488. Gif ony Lord … failȝeis and brekis the said act.

1611.  Bible, Job xxi. 10. Their bull gendereth and faileth not, their cow calueth, and casteth not her calfe.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VIII. 534.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 324 The Republic, IV. No one will be less likely to commit adultery, or to dishonour his father and mother, or to fail in his religious duties?

  † b.  trans. To make default in; to break. Obs.

c. 1500.  Melusine, 12. Fals kinge, thou hast faylled thy couenaunt.

a. 1653.  Gouge, Comm. Heb. iii. 5. It is a great crime to fail trust.

1784.  Cowper, Tirocinium, 293.

  † c.  To disappoint (expectation). Obs. Cf. 5.

1634.  Heywood, The Witches of Lancashire, I. Wks. 1874, IV. 178.

1651.  Gataker, in Fuller’s Abel Rediv., Whitaker, 403. Neither did he therein either faile their estimation, or [etc.].

1699.  W. Dampier, Voy., II. I. 105. Not altogether to fail the Readers expectation, I shall give a brief account.

  10.  trans. To leave undone, omit to perform, miss (some customary or expected action). Obs. exc. with inf. as object.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 352.

1485.  Caxton, Charles the Grete, 29. At good festes he faylled not to doo gretely hys deuoyr in sacrifyses & oblacions.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxliii. 362. We commaunde you … that this be nat fayled, in as hasty wyse as ye can.

1529.  Wolsey, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 102, II. 2. Fayle not therfor to be here thys nygth.

1611.  Bible, 1 Sam. ii. 16. Let them not faile to burne the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soule desireth.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. v. (1840), 87. My morning Walk with my Gun, which I seldom failed.

1810.  Scott, Lady of L., III. xi. Burst be the ear that fails to heed!

1885.  C. J. Mathew, in Law Times’ Rep., LIII. 779/1. He failed to keep his word.

  † b.  with gerund as object. Also, To fail of.

1723.  Pres. State Russia, I. 105. Such corrupt Habits as could not fail producing an Aversion to him.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, II. ii. Thomas … whom he had hitherto seldom failed of visiting at least once a Day.

  † 11.  intr. To be at fault; to miss the mark, go astray, err. Const. of, from. Obs.

c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., I. 95/103. Þou faillest of þin art.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, xi. 1. Vnnethes ere any funden þat failes noght fra halynes.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XXIII. 31.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxiii. 210. In ȝoure faith fayland.

1538.  Starkey, England, I. iv. 119. The ordur of our law also in the punnyschment of theft ys ouer-strayte, and faylyth much from gud cyuylyte.

1590.  Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 17 b. If Harquebuziers also or Mosquettiers in taking their sights, doo faile but the lengthe of a wheate corne in the height of their point.

  † b.  trans. To miss (a mark, one’s footing, etc.). Also, To fail of. Obs.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, III. 123.

c. 1430.  Syr Tryam., 1219.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, IX. xxxv. The hors fayled footynge, and felle in the Ryuer.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxiii. 201. He fayled nat the Englysshe Knyght, for he strake hym.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 338. He had thought to have lept agayne to his horse, but he fayled of the Styrop.

  † c.  trans. To come short of; to miss, not to obtain. Also absol. Obs.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XI. 25. Þe freke þat folwed my wille failled neuere blisse. Ibid. (1393), C. III. 159. Gyue gold al a-boute … to notaries þat non of hem faille.

  12.  intr. To be unsuccessful in an attempt or enterprise. Const. to with inf.; also in. Said of persons; occas. of the means.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 1463. Now we fande our force, now we fail.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1646, Hypsipyle and Medea.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxiii. 201. And thenglyshe knight thought to haue striken hym with his speare in the targe, but he fayled.

1609.  Skene, Reg. Maj., 116. Albeit he faillie in probation of the remanent exceptions.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VIII. 130. Our envious Foe hath fail’d.

1732.  Law, Serious C., viii. (ed. 2), 112. She has set up near twenty poor tradesmen that had fail’d in their business, and saved as many from failing.

1775.  Burke, Sp. Conc. Amer., Wks. III. 47. Conciliation failing, no further hope of reconciliation is left.

1796.  H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), II. 254–5. They scarcely ever fail to bring out fish, for the fishes are terrified not only by a net which encloses them, but by every unknown substance which forms a shade on the surface of the water.

1842.  Tennyson, The Gardener’s Daughter, 31.

1878.  Jevons, Prim. Pol. Econ., 60. Some occupations are very badly paid, because they can be taken up by men who fail in other work.

  b.  Of an action, design, etc.: To miscarry, not to succeed.

c. 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 98. My purpos is i-failed.

c. 1450.  Why I can’t he a nun, 151, in E. E. P. (1862), 142. My techyng may not fayle.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., Epilogue, 12.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., iii. 148. The baronage, indignant at this sudden alliance with a stranger, rose in a revolt which failed only through the desertion of their head, Earl Richard of Cornwall.

1883.  Sir N. Lindley, in Law Rep., 25. Ch. Div. 355. His action … would fail, and he would have to pay the costs.

  c.  Of crops, seeds, etc.: To be abortive or unproductive.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 414. Frute faylede all þulke ȝer, & heruest late also.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., A. 34. So semly a sede moȝt fayly not.

1611.  Bible, 2 Esdras xv. 13. They that till the ground shall mourne: for their seedes shall faile, through the blasting, and haile, and with a fearefull constellation.

1657.  R. Austen, A Treatise of Fruit-Trees, I. 48. In chusing Grafts, chuse not those that are very small, and slender, they commonly fayle; but take the fairest upon the tree, and especially those that be fullest of Buds.

1712.  Mortimer, Husb., II. ii. 9. He thinks that very few [Grains] failed.

1847.  Tennyson, The Princess, I. 124. I think the year in which our olives fail’d.

  d.  To fail of: to come short of obtaining or meeting with (an object desired), or of accomplishing or attaining (a purpose, etc.). Now rare exc. with gerund or vbl. sb.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 404. Ase þauh a mon þet heuede longe i-swunken and failede efter his sore swinke, a last, of his hure.

c. 1315.  Shoreham, 3.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XII. iii. (1495), 412. Yf she faylyth … of the pray that she resyth to.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, II. x. He fayled of his stroke, and smote the hors neck.

1577.  Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619), 145. Some failed of the purposed end: some other were found constant and perfectione was drawn to the foul and flithy sacrifices.

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. x. 39. Fayling of his first attempt to be but like the highest in heaven.

1713.  Steele, The Guardian, No. 17, 31 March, ¶ 7. His man never failed of bringing in his prey.

1737.  Johnson, Letter, 12 July, in Boswell. Could not fail of a favourable reception.

1815.  W. H. Ireland, Scribbleomania, 165, note. It is only required of our author to take the pen, and she never can fail of bewitching the reader.

1844.  H. Rogers, Ess., I. ii. 83. It is the common lot of such men, in whom some one faculty is found on a great scale, to fail of part of the admiration due to other endowments.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), IV. 249, Theaetetus, Introduction. Mere perception does not reach being, and therefore fails of truth.

  13.  To become insolvent or bankrupt. Said of individuals and of mercantile houses, banks, etc.

1683.  J. Scarlett, The Stile of Exchanges, 128. If that Endorser fail and be insolvent.

a. 1734.  North, Lives (1826), III. 291. Mills, with his auctioneering, atlasses, and projects, failed.

1796.  Hull Advertiser, 25 June, 2/3. Twelve capital houses have failed in different parts of Italy.

1868.  Bentley, Wealth & Politics, II. 81. Thirty-one banks failed in little more than three months.

  14.  a. intr. To be unsuccessful in an examination, to be ‘plucked.’ b. trans. (colloq.) Of an examiner: To report (a candidate) as having failed; to ‘pluck.’

1884.  Pall Mall G., 6 March, 11. He ‘fails’ them all, turns to mistress, ‘Your children are perfect idiots.’

  IV.  † 15. trans, nonce-use. To deceive, cheat (L. fallĕre).

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., III. xi. 46. So lively and so like that living sence it fayld.