Fall v.

Pa. t. fell; pa. pple. fallen. Forms: Infin. 1 feallan, 3–5 falle(n, south. valle(n, 3–6 fal, (5 fale, fulle, 6 faul(e, Sc. faa, fawe, 8–9 Sc. fa’, 3– fall. Pa. t. 1–3 féoll, 2, 3 feol, fol(l, 2–3 south. veol(l, 2–4 ful(l, 3 south. vul, 2–6 fel, 2 south. vel, 4–5 felle, (4 fele), 4 south. velle, 4–5 fil(l(e, fylle, 4 south. vil(l, 3– fell; weak forms: 4 felde, 6 falled. Pa. pple. 1 feallen, 4–5 fallin, -yn, (4 faleyn), 5–8 faln(e, (6 faulen), Sc. 6 fawin, 8 fawn, 9 fa’(e), 3– fallen; also 4 falle, 4–5 fal, (7 fell), 5–7 fall; also 6 weak form falled. [A Com. Teut. redupl. str. vb. (wanting in Gothic): OE. feallan = OFris. falla, OS. fallan (Du. vallen), OHG. fallan (MHG. vallen, mod.G. fallen), ON. falla (Sw. falla, Da. falde):—OTeut. *fallan (pa. t. *fefall-), perh.:—pre-Teut. *phal-n- cognate with L. fallĕre to deceive; more certainly cognate is Lith. pùlti to fall; the Gr. σφάλλειν (if f. root sqhel) is unconnected.

  In the intransitive senses often conjugated with be.]

  I.  To descend freely (primarily by ‘weight’ or gravity): opposed to ‘rise.’

  1.  intr. To drop from a high or relatively high position. Const. † in, into, to, on, upon; also, to the earth, ground.

c. 890.  K. Ælfred, Metra, v. 15 (Gr.). Him on innan felð muntes mæʓenstan.

a. 1000.  Crist, 1526 (Gr.). Hi sceolon raðe feallan on grimne grand.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 61. Þe angles of heouene uolle for heore prude in to helle.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 155. Sum of þe sed ful uppe þe ston.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 58. Ȝif eni unwrie put were, & best feolle þer inne.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 24538 (Cott.). Þe tere fell o min ei.

1382.  Wyclif, Matt. xxi. 44. Vpon whom it [this stoon] shal falle it shal togidre poune hym.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 509. Þis egg, or þe kyng wyst, to þe erth fallis.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 2866. How Malachias was fal of the toure.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 166. [The ball] mysseth the hande & falleth to the grounde.

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 163. All amaz’d, the priest let fall the booke. Ibid. (1601) All’s Well that ends Well, IV. iii. 217. Ber. Nay, by your leaue hold your hands, though I know his braines are forfeite to the next tile that fals.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., V. 190. Two of our Asses fell ouer a banke.

1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), I. 222. The water falls three hundred feet perpendicular.

1818.  Shelley, Lett. Italy, 10 Nov. A plant more excellent than that from which they [seeds] fell.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 84, Laches. When some one threw a stone, which fell on the deck at his feet.

  b.  Proverb. Fall back, fall edge: come what may; through thick and thin. Cf. BACK sb.¹ 4.

1622.  Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 9. Fall backe, fall edge, goe which way you will to work with him.

1781.  Cowper, Letter to John Newton, 13 May. I have taken prudent care however to save my credit at all events, and having foretold both fair weather and foul, the former in the piece just alluded to, and the latter in Expostulation, fall back, fall edge, as they say, like the Newton-shepherds, my soothsaying is sure to be accomplished.

1830.  Scott, Jrnl., 21 Dec. But, fall back, fall edge, nothing shall induce me to publish what I do not think advantageous to the community, or suppress what is.

  c.  fig. esp. with reference to descent from high estate, or from moral elevation.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8992 (Cott.). He fell fra liue and saul hele.

1483.  Caxton, Gold. Leg., 215/2. To exclude hem from the felicite that they fil fro.

1621–51.  Burton, Anat. Mel., I. i. II. xi. 29. Falne from his first perfection.

1707.  Norris, Treat. Humility, v. 199. In all other respects they [Fallen Angels] seem to have fill’d up their Angelical Character, but this was their cloven Foot, or rather their giddy Head that made them miss their station, and fall from goodness and happiness.

1813.  Byron, Giaour, 139.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), II. 469. Where it is done, it is as being a fruit fallen from what is the creditor’s.

1890.  T. F. Tout, Hist. Eng. from 1689, 45. In 1719 Alberoni fell through a Court intrigue.

  d.  of what comes or seems to come from the atmosphere (e.g., hail, rain, lightning, etc.), and by extension of heaven, the stars, etc.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Exod. ix. 19. Se haʓol him on utan fealð.

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. lxxi[i]. 6. Se stranga ren fealleð on flys her.

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 1936. Of snowe was fallen aschour.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 102. Þenne falleþ þer fur on false menne houses.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), xiv. 152. The dew of heuene þat falleð vpon the herbes.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cvi. 128. Y^e stones … semed lyke thondre falled fro heuyn.

1614.  Bp. Hall, A Recollection of such Treatises, 499. What if heauen fall, say you? His holinesse (as you hope) will take none such courses.

1630.  H. Lord, Persees, 44. Fire … occasioned by lightning falling on some tree.

1671.  R. Bohun, Disc. Wind, 236. Deluges of Rain, falling rather in huge Cascades, and by Bucket-fuls.

1842.  Tennyson, Morte d’Arthur, 262. Where falls not hail or rain or any snow.

1856.  Mrs. Browning, Aur. Leigh, III. 97.

  e.  fig. of calamity, disease, fear, sleep, vengeance, etc.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10269 (Cott.).

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 2951.

c. 1346.  Prose Psalter, liv. [lv.], 4. Drede of deþ fel vp me.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 266. Þe frenesie fil on hir.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, li. 171. A grete mysfortune fell apon vs.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 16. Great moreyne fell upon brute beastes.

1611.  Bible, Gen. ii. 21. And the Lord God caused a deepe sleepe to fall vpon Adam, and hee slept; and he tooke one of his ribs, and closed vp the flesh in stead thereof.

1655.  Fuller, The Church-History of Britain, IV. i. § 20. Most fiercely fell their fury on the Dutch in London (offended, be-like, with them for ingrossing of Trade) and these words, bread and cheese, were their neck-verse, or Shibboleth, to distinguish them; all pronouncing broad and cause, being presently put to death.

1751.  Jortin, Serm. (1771), II. x. 200. Calamities … fall upon the good and the bad.

1860.  Sir T. Martin, Horace, 112.

1870.  Rogers, Hist. Gleanings, Ser. II. 48. These books were valued as choice treasures, and when, a few years after, a fiery persecution fell on the Lollards, men were ready to give up their lives rather than surrender their books.

1886.  A. Sergeant, No Saint, II. vi. 132. It seemed to Paul as if a great stillness fell upon the place which he had left.

  f.  of darkness, night, etc.

a. 1613.  Overbury, Characters, Fair & happy milk-mayd. When winter euenings fall early.

1771.  Mrs. Griffith, trans. Viaud’s Shipwreck, 86. Night began to fall.

1805.  Scott, Last Minstr., III. 24.

1841.  Longf., Excelsior, 1.

1862.  Tyndall, Mountaineer., ii. 11. Soft shadows fell from shrub and rock on the emerald pastures.

1885.  Stevenson, Dynamiter, 104. The night fell, mild and airless.

  2.  To become detached and drop off. a. Of feathers, the hair, leaves, etc.: To drop off or out. b. Of clothes: To slip off.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 313.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3569 (Cott.).

1530.  Palsgr., 544/1. Se howe his heares fall.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. (1586), 165 b. His [peacock’s] taile falling everie yeere.

1611.  Bible, Lev. xiii. 40. And the man whose haire is fallen off his head, he is bald: yet is hee cleane.

1852.  Thackeray, Esmond, I. ix. Her hair fell, and her face looked older.

1854.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., XV. II. 353. The foetal incisors and tushes … rarely fall before this period, notwithstanding they be worn to the gums.

  fig.  a. 1400.  in Retr. Rev. (1853), Aug., 419.

1850.  Dickens, A Child’s Dream of a Star, in Househ. Words, I. 26. My age is falling from me like a garment, and I move towards the star as a child.

1889.  Mrs. Lynn Linton, Thro’ Long Night, II. II. xiii. 196. Some of the quainter forms of his adopted speech were falling from him, and he was becoming daily more English and less American.

1890.  G. R. Tomson, Procris, in The Universal Review, May, 84.

  3.  Of objects moving vertically as on a hinge: To drop to a lower position. † The orloge falles: (the hammer of) the clock strikes.

a. 1400.  Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1866), 57. Before þat þe orloge falles, or any belles rynges.

1621.  Fletcher, Thierry & Theodoret, III. ii.

1808.  Scott, Marmion, I. iv.

1815.  J. Smith, The Panorama of Science and Art, I. 15. Such a hammer will, as it is technically termed, fall well; diminishing, at the same time, the workman’s fatigue, and convincing him that his blows are solid and effectual.

1881.  Greener, Gun (1888), 139. The block is … held in position by a spring stud until the hammer falls.

  4.  To drop, come or go down, in a given direction or to a required position; chiefly in to let fall (an anchor, curtain, sail, etc.). Also, To let fall (a perpendicular): to draw so as to meet a base line. Of a lash: To he brought down.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., IV. i. 100.

1626.  Capt. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 27. Let fall your fore sayle.

1667.  Primatt, City & C. Build., 161. Let a Perpendicular line fall upon the Base.

1696.  trans. Du Mont’s Voy. Levant, 98. Let fall a Ladder of Ropes, by the help of which the Spirit got into the Convent.

1698.  T. Froger, Voy., 69–70. We scarce let fall Anchor, but the Storm was appeas’d, the Sea became calm, and we made as much Sail as we could that Day.

1816.  Playfair, Nat. Phil. (1819), II. 18. The perpendicular is to be let fall … from the star on the meridian.

1881.  Besant & Rice, Chapl. Fleet, I. 187. Doubtless their backs were well scarred with the fustigations of the alderman’s whip, and they could remember the slow tread of the cart behind which they had marched from Newgate to Tyburn, the cruel cat falling at every step upon their naked and bleeding shoulders.

1889.  C. Smith, The Repentance of Paul Wentworth, II. ix. 179. The curtain fell on the fourth act.

  b.  To hang down, extend downwards.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 115. His mane … falling on the right side.

1665.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 365. Go elsewhere naked to the waste, where they gird themselves with a party-coloured Mantle which falls no deeper than the knees.

1745.  P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 337. From the Ridge of his [Zebra’s] Back down to his Belly, fall several streaks of various Colours, forming so many Circles.

1890.  Philips & Wills, Sybil Ross’s Marriage, i. 5. Golden hair fell in great masses upon her shoulders.

1892.  K. Tynan, A House of Roses, in The Speaker, 3 Sept., 289/2. The hawthorn is succeeded there by woodbine and wild roses, the latter falling in close exquisite veils of pink and green down to the daisied grass that lines the ditches.

  5.  Of the young of animals: To be ‘dropped’ or born.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 2081. Mare fersere in feld fell neuire of modire.

1532–3.  Act 34 Hen. VIII., c. 7. Any maner yonge suckinge calfe … which shall happen to fall or to be calued.

1595.  Shaks., John, III. i. 90.

1607.  Markham, Cavelarice, I. 32. Againe, if a Foale fall early in the yeare, as the yeare increases, so both meate and milke increases.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 121, 19 July, ¶ 1. Tully has observed that a Lamb no sooner falls from its Mother, but immediately and of its own accord it applies itself to the teat.

1844.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., V. I. 175. Calves that fall early enough to be fattened before grass time. Ibid. (1864), XXV. II. 296. The lambs should fall in May.

  fig.  1892.  Standard, 12 Feb., 2/3. A plan which fell stillborn.

  6.  Of speech, etc.: To fall from (a person, his month): to issue or proceed from.

1605.  Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vows, II. § 88. It was an excellent rule that fell from Epicure.

1770.  W. Hodson, The Dedication of the Temple of Solomon, I.

1813.  Hogg, The Queen’s Wake, 182.

1890.  Harper’s Mag., LXXXI., June, 45/1. Every word that fell from her lips.

  II.  To sink to a lower level: opposed to ‘rise.’

  7.  To descend, sink into, to. Now only of inanimate things.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 287. Whanne þe spiritis falliþ þan a mannes vertues failen. Ibid., 350. And þan do hem to seþing on þe fier til þe herbis falle to þe botme.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 172. Flies … steady in one place of the air, without rising or falling.

1682.  Otway, Venice Preserved, I. i.

1822.  G. W. Manby, Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821 (1823), 31. Those immense bodies of ice: the undulating swell that put them in moition, caused them to rise and fall in the most graceful manner possible.

a. 1843.  Southey, The Inchcape Rock, 7.

1891.  J. Winsor, Columbus, x. 238. After sunset on the 15th there were signs of clearing in the west, and the waves began to fall.

  b.  To get into a low state, physically or morally; to decline, † To fall in age: to become advanced in years.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 3562 (Cott.).

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 212. If he be feble … & his pous falle.

1530.  Palsgr., 543/2. You fall in age apace.

1614.  Bp. Hall, A Recollection of such Treatises, 213. Fall’n to bee levell with their fellowes; and from thence beneath them, to a mediocrity; and afterwards to sottishness and contempt, belowe the vulgar.

1667.  Milton, P. L., I. 84.

1728.  J. Veneer, A Companion for the Sincere Penitent, Preface, vi. How easy it may be, setting all other considerations aside, to fall from one wickedness to another.

1820.  Keats, Isabella, xxxii.

1845–6.  Trench, Huls. Lect., Ser. II. viii. 280. We fall below our position.

1879.  Farrar, St. Paul (1883), 49. He was ever falling and falling, and no hand was held out to help him.

  † c.  Of a bird or rider: To alight. Obs.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 13563.

1535.  Coverdale, Judg. i. 14. She fell from the Asse.

c. 1575.  Bk. Sparhawkes (ed. Harding, 1886), 16. That will make her fall at marke.

1619.  Bert, Treat. Hawkes, 6. You may perhaps finde her folly giue her leaue to fall again vpon the ground within … twenty yards of you.

  † d.  To go down hill. Obs. rare.

1691.  T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 123. This last Angle is made for the Ships ease of falling into the Sea.

  † e.  Of the sun, etc.: To go down; to sink, set. Obs.

1630.  R. Johnson, Relations of the Most Famous Kingdoms, etc., 19. To places parellel, the Sunne neither riseth, nor falleth.

1658.  T. Willsford, Nature’s Secrets, 37. Those Asterismes … That in the night do either rise or fall.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., II. 85. Tending the Sun until he be upon the Meridian, you will perceive he is descending, or as we commonly say he is fallen, you will see nothing but Water.

  8.  Of land: To slope.

1573.  Tusser, Husb. (1878), 100. Land falling … South or southwest, for profit by tillage is lightly the best.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1638), 31. Parts [of the earth] falling into fruitfull dales.

1694.  Smith & Walford, Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1711), 62. Rounds up … in white Cliffs, and falls into shores.

1862.  Temple Bar Mag., IV. Feb., 428. The high ground of the plateau falls towards this narrow strait, passing into low hills in its vicinity.

  9.  Of a river or stream: To discharge itself, issue into.

c. 1205.  Lay., 1401. Þer Læire falleð i þa sæ.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. iii. (1495), 442. The ryuer Downow … fallith in to the See that hyghte Ponticum.

1490.  Caxton, Eneydos, xxxiii. 120. The ryuer of tonyre renneth, and falleth there in-to the see.

1613.  Purchas, Pilgrimage, V. i. 381. The Riuer Ganges … falleth into the Gulfe of Bengala.

1727.  Arbuthnot, Table of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures, 251. Cæsar therefore gave order to build his Gallies on the Loir, and the Rivers that fall into it.

1825.  New Monthly Mag., XV. 397/1. There are, however, fine sturgeon in the rivers that fall into Lake Huron.

1865.  F. Hall, in H. H. Wilson’s The Vishńu Puráńa, II. 150. A river Veńi … falls into the Kŕishńá.

  † b.  transf. of a road. Obs.

1693.  Col. Rec. Pennsylv., I. 389. Lay ott the king’s road, where it may fall into the king’s old road. Ibid. (1706), II. 276. A Road … falling into the Road leading to Philadelphia.

  10.  Of water, flames, etc.: To subside. Of the tide: To ebb.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1876 (Cott.). How sal we o þis waters weit Quedir þai be fulli fallen yeit?

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 1216.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 451. Quhen that the flude war fawin.

1670.  Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1711), 66. The Water riseth and falls perpendicular ten Feet.

1726.  Swift, Gulliver, I. v. I then took off my Spectacles, and waiting about an hour till the Tide was a little fallen, I waded through the middle with my Cargo, and arrived safe at the Royal Port of Lilliput..

1849.  Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, vii. § 3. 185. The ocean falls and flows.

1886.  Shorthouse, Sir Percival, iii. 99. The flicker of the expiring flames that leaped up suddenly and fell again lighted the oak panelling, the massive doorways, and the armour that had been discarded as useless, centuries ago, the faded brightness of which still shone upon the walls.

1887.  Earth and its Story, I. 331. The water suddenly rose an inch and fell again.

  fig.  1632.  Lithgow, Trav., III. 117. Not … till it [Greece] fell to the lowest ebbe.

1705.  Addison, Italy, Dedication, A 2. I could not but observe, when I passed through most of the Protestant Governments in Europe, that their Hopes or Fears for the Common Cause rose or fell with Your Lordship’s Interest and Authority in England.

1819.  Shelley, Peter Bell the Third, IV. xxii.

1886.  Lesterre Durant, I. v. 66. The grand music rose and fell with a flood of sound.

  b.  Of the wind, weather, etc.: To decrease in violence; to abate, calm down. Also in phrases, as it fell calm, a dead, flat calm.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 24942 (Cott.). Þe storm it fell.

1670.  Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. 17. It fell calm this Afternoon.

1752.  Washington, Barbadoes Jrnl. (1892), 73. Y^e Wind was fallen.

1840.  R. H. Dana, Bef. Mast, x. 24. In a few minutes it fell dead calm.

1872.  Howells, Wedd. Journ., 5. The storm fell before seven o’clock.

  11.  fig. Of the countenance: To lose animation; to assume an expression of dismay or disappointment. [Orig. a Hebraism.]

1382.  Wyclif, Gen. iv. 5. Caym was greetli wroth, and therwith felle his chere.

c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 1882.

1611.  Bible, Gen. iv. 5. But vnto Cain, and to his offring he had not respect: and Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

1718.  Hickes & Nelson, J. Kettlewell, I. ii. 13. As soon as he heard the Sound of Drum or Trumpet, his Countenance did always fall.

1816.  Scott, Antiq., vii. The countenance of the old man fell.

1888.  A. T. Quiller-Couch, The Astonishing History of Troy Town, viii. 81. At the sight of her, Caleb’s face fell a full inch.

  12.  To be lowered in direction, droop. Of the eyes: To be cast down.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 48. The Peacocke … stooping doune to his feet, his feathers fall with the selfe-sight immediatly.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 118. The tender Sprouts of it, after the leaves are shut, fall and hang down.

1889.  F. M. Crawford, Greifenstein, II. xviii. 234. His eyes fell before her gaze.

  † 13.  Of anything heated or swollen: To settle down. Obs.

1580.  Baret, Alv., F 92. The swelling falleth or asswageth.

1632.  Massinger & Field, Fatal Dowry, III. i.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 39. You shall find the parts of the upper Surface to subside and fall inwards.

1823.  J. Badcock, Dom. Amusem., 186. If blisters do not fall, lay cloths over them steeped in vinegar.

  † b.  To be worn down. Obs. rare^–1.

1708.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4499/4. One … rough Stone weighing about 21 Carrats, a Point something fallen.

  † 14.  To shrink; esp. of an animal or a limb, to become lean. Also To fall in or out of flesh.

1530.  Palsgr., 544/2. I fall out of flessche by reason of sycknesse.

1599.  Shaks., Hen. V., V. ii. 167. A good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn white; a curled pate will grow bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye will wax hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the moon.

1615.  Crooke, Body of Man, 92. His body fell to the wonted scantling.

a. 1661.  Fuller, Worthies (1662), III. 38. Butchers being necessitated presently to kill, the Cattle fatted thereupon, as certainly knowing that they will fall in their flesh, if removed to any other Pasture, because they cannot but change to their loss.

1686.  J. Smith, Natural Time, 33. A Pendulum … not being so subject to rise and fall, as others are.

1688.  R. Holme, Armoury, II. vii. 155/1. The tenth year the Temples [of a horse] fall.

1730.  Swift. Directions to Servants. The cattle are weak, and fallen in their flesh with hard riding.

  † b.  Of the complexion: To grow pale. Obs.

c. 1369.  Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 564. That maketh my hewe to fal and fade.

  † 15.  Of a horse: To fall at or on the crest: to have the flesh or skin of the neck drooping or overhanging. Cf. CREST-FALLEN. Obs.

1697.  Lond. Gaz., No. 3303/4. Lost … one white Nag … fallen at the Crest with the Harness. Ibid. (1701), 3715/4. Stolen … a Sorrel Gelding … falls on the Crest.

  16.  Of (the fluid in) a meteorological instrument: To sink to a lower point.

1658.  Willsford, Nature’s Secrets, 154. If the water [in a weather glass] falls a degree in 6 hours.

1660.  Boyle, New Exp. Phys. Mech., xxiii. They found the suspended mercury fall a little as they ascended the hill.

1798.  trans., J. F. G. de la Perouse’s Voy. round World, II. x. 188. The barometer fell considerably.

1825.  A. Caldcleugh, Trav. S. Amer., I. xi. 342. The thermometer in the winter seldom falls to freezing.

1860.  Adm. Fitz-Roy, in Merc. Marine Mag., VII. 338. The quicksilver ranges, or rises and falls, nearly three inches.

1887.  C. C. Abbott, Waste-Land Wand., ii. 22. The time passed so pleasantly that I forgot the weather of the moment, and the fact that as I left the house the old mercury barometer was ‘falling’ and the wind south-west.

  b.  Of temperature: To be reduced.

1866.  B. Stewart, Heat, § 11. When the amount of sensible heat in a body increases, its temperature is said to rise, and when this diminishes its temperature is said to fall.

1890.  Sir R. S. Ball, The Sun, in Good Words, XXXI. Aug., 553/2. It seems just as likely that if the sun’s temperature is changing at all it may be rising instead of falling, though no doubt the alteration must be extremely slow.

  17.  Music. To sound a lower note.

1597.  T. Morley, Introd. Mus., 71. If the base rise or fall, you must not rise and fall iust as manie notes as your base did.

1674.  Playford, Skill Mus., III. 4. If your Bass should fall a seventh, it is but the same as if it did rise a second.

1706.  A. Bedford, Temple Mus., ix. 177. The Jews in those Times taught their Scholars to Sing, by teaching them first to rise, or fall Six or Eight Notes, gradually.

  18.  Of a price, rate, rent, weight, etc.: To decrease, diminish, or become reduced.

1580.  Baret, Alv., F 91. The price of victuall was not much fallen.

1602.  Carew, Cornwall, I. 20 b. When the price of corne falleth, men generally giue ouer surplus Tillage, and breake no more ground, then will serue to supplie their owne turne.

1647.  Cowley, Mistress, The Bargain, i.

a. 1687.  Petty, Pol. Arith., Pref. The Rents of Land are generally fall’n.

1776.  Adam Smith, W. N., I. v. (1869), I. 45. The price of bullion has fallen below the mint price.

1890.  Chamb. Jrnl., 10 May, 303/1. The number … has fallen from four thousand to one thousand.

  b.  Of articles for sale, investments, etc.: To be lowered or diminished in price or value.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 62. Wools are as yet at high rate, but I thinke shortly they will fall.

1608.  Bp. Hall, Char. Virtues & V., II. 131. The Covetous … would despach himselfe when corne falles.

1707.  Cibber, Double Gallant, V. ii. May all the bank-stocks fall when I have bought ’em.

1713.  Swift, Jrnl. to Stella, 6 Feb. My livings are fallen much this year.

1801.  H. C. Robinson, Diary, I. 106. Wheat has fallen in our market from 92s to 30s the coomb.

1812.  G. Chalmers, Dom. Econ. Gt. Brit., 466. The exchange fell below par to 11¹/₂ per cent.; and bullion was sent out, at whatever price, and risk, to answer the unfavourable balance of payments, between the north of Europe, and Britain.

  III.  To lose the erect position (primarily with suddenness): opposed to ‘stand.’

      * To become suddenly prostrate.

  19.  intr. To be brought or come suddenly to the ground; also, To fall prostrate, to the ground, etc.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11760 (Cott.). Al ÿair idels … fel vnto þe grund.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, xxi. 15. Þe iwes wend þat he sould haf fallen in till dust of ded.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 23693 (Trin.).

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 113.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 849. He stumbils … & sfallis.

1486.  Bk. St. Albans, E vij b. Downe in to the steppis ther fallyn of his fete.

1556.  Aurelio & Isab. (1608), L. The extreme sorrowe … made her fall as almoste dede to the earthe.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., IV. ii. 20.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., III. 92. Where they fell, there they lay till the morne.

1671.  R. Bohun, Disc. Wind, 153. That which makes it still memorable in most parts of the Kingdome, was the great numbers of Trees, and sturdy Oaks that fell in this Tempest.

1694.  Acc. Sev. Late Voy., II. (1711), 170. Underneath the Hook are some sharp Nails fixed, that they may be able to stand firm, for the Whale is very slippery, so that one may easily fall, as upon slippery Ice.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), II. xiii. 279. My horse fell.

1840.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, vi. Starting aside I slipped and fell.

  b.  fig.; esp. in To fall to the ground: to come to nothing; to be discredited or futile.

1611.  Bible, Prov. xi. 28. He that trusteth in his riches, shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

1638.  W. Tirwhyt, trans. Letters of Mounsieur de Balzac (1655), III. vii. All the Celestial Court is sensible of suffering that name to fall to ground.

1690.  Locke, Govt., I. xi. (Rtldg.), 140. The natural power of kings falls to the ground.

1795.  Hist., in Ann. Reg., 126. The injurious epithets … being proofless, fell to the ground.

1825.  New Monthly Mag., XV. Feb., 51/1. Falsehood is sure to fall to the ground ultimately, which ever side may use it, and truth to appear.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 516. The proposition fell to the ground. Ibid., II. 161. Who indeed could hope to stand where the Hydes had fallen?

1879.  M. J. Guest, Lect. Hist. Eng., xxxiv. 346. His great hopes fell to the ground.

  c.  To come down on (the point of) a sword, etc. In the Bible translations, after Heb. use: To throw oneself upon.

1382.  Wyclif, 1 Sam. xxxi. 4. So Saul cauȝte his swerd and felle vpon it [1388, felde theronne].

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 67. He [a child] fel on þat knyf in þe former partie of þe þrote.

1611.  Bible, 1 Sam. xxxi. 4. Therfore Saul tooke a sword, & fell vpon it.

1884.  [So in R.V.].

  d.  Cricket. Of the wicket: To be knocked down by the ball in bowling. (By extension, the wicket is now said to fall when the batsman is dismissed in any way.) Const. to.

1859.  All Y. Round, No. 13. 306. It was painful to see the Colonel’s expression as the sergeant’s wicket fell.

1882.  Daily Tel., 17 May. Robinson’s wicket falling to Palmer’s bowling.

1890.  The Saturday Review, LXX. 5 July, 5/2. The sixth wicket of Cambridge fell for 91; the tenth for 97.

  20.  Used (after Heb. idiom preserved in the Vulgate) with reference to voluntary prostration: To prostrate oneself in reverence or supplication. Const. before, to (a person), in early use with dat., at, † to (his feet, † hand). Also, To fall on one’s face, knees.

971.  Blickl. Hom., 27. Þas ealle ic þe sylle, ʓif þu feallest to me & me weorþast.

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xvii. 16. Þa cyrde he … & feoll to hys fotum.

c. 1205.  Lay., 12716. Þe ærchebiscop feol [c. 1275, fulle] to þes kinges fot.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16632 (Cott.).

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Man of Law’s Tale, 1006.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 814.

1611.  Bible, Rev. xix. 10. I fell at his feete to worship him.

1614.  Bp. Hall, A Recollection of such Treatises, 1069. The people rise vp against their Gouernors; Their Gouernours fall on their faces to God.

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., iii. 6. We fell on our knees before her.

1850.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxvii. ‘I’m sure of it,’ said Tom, falling on his knees.

  21.  (fig. of 19). To succumb to attack or opposing force. a. Of a fortified place, rarely, of a ship: To be taken.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., V. viii. 11. So Illion fall thou.

1632.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 81. The forts left alone unsuccour’d, would afterwards fall of themselves.

1797.  Nelson, in Nicolas, Disp., II. 343. On the quarter-deck of a Spanish First-rate … did I receive the Swords of vanquished Spaniards … thus fell these Ships.

1818.  Byron, Juan, I. lvi.

1869.  W. Longman, Hist. Edw. III., x. Stirling fell before he could advance to its relief.

  b.  Of an empire, government, institution, etc.: To be overthrown, come to ruin, perish.

1780.  J. Harris, Philol. Enq., Wks. (1841), 514. After a succession of centuries, the Roman empire fell.

1803.  Mackintosh, Def. Peltier, Wks. 1846, III. 248. If it [the press] be to fall, it will fall only under the ruins of the British empire.

1818.  Byron, Ch. Har., IV. cxlv.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., i. 20. The faith of Woden and Thunder was not to fall without a struggle.

1886.  Mrs. C. Praed, Miss Jacobsen, I. i. 14. The Ministry was certain to fall in a short time.

  22.  In moral sense: To yield to temptation, to sin; esp. of a woman: To surrender her chastity.

a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 158, in E. E. P. (1862), 32. It is strong to stonde longe & liht it is to falle.

c. 1340.  Cursor Mundi, 25812 (Fairf.). Wiþ how litel speche he moȝt haue couered mercy quen he felle.

1526.  Tindale, Rom. xi. 9. Butt iudge this rather, thatt no man putt a stomblinge blocke, or an occasion to faule in his brothers waye.

1604.  Shaks., Oth., IV. iii. 88.

1667.  Milton, P. L., III. 129.

1758.  S. Hayward, Serm., xvii. 505. David gave no evidence of his love to Christ, when he fell so criminally, and so publicly with Bathsheba, and lay so long secure.

1869 Daily News, 21 May. No girls … of any age who are suspected of having fallen.

1875.  Manning, The Internal Mission of the Holy Ghost, i. 12. The first Adam, of whom we are born by nature, was constituted in grace, but, by sinning, fell and died.

  23.  To drop down wounded or dead; to die by violence; rarely, by disease. Also † to fall dead.

a. 1300.  St. Andrew, 104, in E. E. P. (1862), 101.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 170. Sheo fallethe dede as any stoone.

c. 1570.  Marr. Wit & Science, V. i., in Dodsley, Old Plays, 1874, II. 382.

1592.  Shaks., Rom. & Jul., V. i. 62. The life-wearie-taker may fall dead.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1638), 115. A brave Prince, but fell by the axe of treachery.

1703.  J. Savage, Lett. Antients, xliv. 106. If I had fallen in my Distemper.

1743.  Bulkeley & Cummins, Voy. S. Seas, 75. I had no Desire of falling by the Hand of Captain C——p.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., ii. 80. The greater part of the higher nobility had fallen in battle.

  † b.  To be taken ill of (a disease). Obs.

1538.  Hen. VIII., in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793), 146. Water Welche, Master Brown, John Carre, Yrion of Brearton, John Cocke the pothecary, be fallen of the swett in this house, and thenkyed be God all well recovered.

1653.  Evelyn, Memoirs, 17 May. My servant Hoare, who wrote those exquisite several hands, fell of a fit of an apoplexie, caus’d, as I suppose, by tampering with ☿ (mercury) about an experiment in gold.

  c.  of animals. Also in Sporting phraseol., To fall to (one’s rifle): to be brought down by.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 737.

1823.  Scoresby, Jrnl. Whale Fishery, 289. Another whale having arisen within sight of the people in the boats, was pursued and entangled. This, after much chasing, and many displays of its formidable tail in the air, as if in resistance of our attacks, likewise fell under our lances.

1892.  H. Chichester, in Dict. Nat. Biog., XXIX. 116/1, ‘Sir George Le Grand Jacob.’ Seven lions fell to his rifle in one day in Kattywar, and his prowess as a shikarry is perpetuated in native verse.

  † d.  fig. To lapse, die out, expire. Obs.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. lxiv. 86, heading. The duke dyed without heyre, wherby the dyscencion [descent] fell.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time, II. 109. An additional excise, that had been formerly given, was now falling.

1754.  Erskine, Principles of the Law of Scotland (1809), 187. A tack, therefore, granted to a single woman, falls by her marriage; because the marriage, which is a legal conveyance thereof to the husband, cannot be annulled.

  e.  Cards. To be captured by (a higher card).

1712.  Pope, Rape of the Lock, iii. 64.

1889.  ‘B. W. D.’ & ‘Cavendish,’ Whist, 2. A … leads knave of spades, to which nine, eight, and seven fall. Ibid., 58. The knave of diamonds must fall to the king.

  24.  Phrases (with sense varying betw. 21 and 23). To fall a prey, sacrifice, victim to. lit. and fig.

1648.  Boyle, Some Motives and Incentives to the Love of God, xiv. (1700), 85. God’s Justice is not less Essential to him than his Mercy; Witness that (the numbers of the Saints and the Reprobate consider’d) thousands fall Sacrifices to the severer Attribute, for one that proves Capable of the milder.

a. 1774.  Fergusson, Drink Eclogue, Poems (1845), 52.

1825.  New Monthly Mag., XV. 523. His opinion of vaccination, as a preservative from the small-pox, was not in consonance with the general doctrine, and he unfortunately fell a victim to his error.

1839.  T. Beale, Sperm Whale, 298. How many brave men have at various times fallen a sacrifice to this kind of daring.

1885.  Manch. Exam., 6 July, 4/6. The … books fell a prey to the flames.

  25.  To stumble † on, into; to be drawn or forced into (danger, fire, a pit, etc.); † to be caught in (a snare).

c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xvii. 15. Oft he fylþ on fyr, & ʓelomlice on wæter.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 6650. If ye fillen in her laas.

1456.  How the Wise Man Taught His Son, 62, in Hazl., E. P. P. (1864), 171.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 152. A man entending to avoide the smoke, falleth into the fyre.

1564.  Complaint Sinner, in Sternhold, etc., Psalms. The righteous man falleth now … or than In daunger of thy wrath.

1585.  J. B., trans. P. Viret’s Sch. Beastes, C ij. To make them to fall into their nettes.

1611.  Bible, Amos iii. 5. Can a bird fall in a snare vpon the earth, where no ginne is for him? Ibid., Acts xxvii. 17. They vsed helpes, vndergirding the ship; and fearing lest they should fall into the quicke sands, strake saile, and so were driuen.

1694.  F. Bragge, Practical Discourses upon the Parables of Our Blessed Saviour, xiv. 477. He is so busie in gazing upon things above himself, that he perceives not the Dangers under his feet till he falls into them.

1823.  Scoresby, Jrnl. Whale Fishery, 390. Have all in readiness for bringing up, if we seemed to be falling into danger.

1877.  Miss Yonge, Cameos, Ser. III. vii. 62. They fell into the ambush and were all cut off, and the Court remained in much anxiety, ignorant of their fate.

  b.  fig. To fall into (error, sin, etc.).

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 63. God … ȝife us swa his will to donne … þat we ne fallen naut ine sunne.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 25400 (Cott.). Lat us in na fanding fall.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 3438. In swa many veniel syns we falle.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., II. ix. 199. So miȞti men in discrecioun fillen into ydolatrie bi occasioun of entermeting with ymagis.

c. 1500.  Lancelot, 1322.

1553.  Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 10. Sayncte Augustyne and also Lactantius, for lacke of lyke knowledge in that science, fell into a chyldishe erroure, denyinge that there is anye people, called Antipodes.

1611.  Bible, 1 Tim. iii. 6. Lest … hee fall into the condemnation of the deuill.

1649.  Bp. Hall, Cases Consc., I. vii. 64. The necessity into which you are fallen, makes you uncapable of performance.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 53, 1 May, ¶ 4. Many new Vanities which the Women will fall into upon a peace with France.

1751.  Jortin, Serm. (1771), III. i. 21. Many persons fall into mistakes in their notions of happiness.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 202, The Republic, I. An error into which we have fallen.

    ** With the additional notion of breaking up.

  26.  Of a building, etc.: To come down in fragments.

c. 1275.  Lay., 15949. Þine walles fulle.

1382.  Wyclif, Isa. xxi. 9. He answerde, and seide, Is falle, is falle Babilon.

c. 1450.  Merlin, 37. The toure fallith.

1563.  Fulke, Meteors (1640), 20 b. How terrible was the Earthquake that shook Constantinople a whole year together, that the Emperour and all the people, were fain to dwell abroad in the fields under tents and pavilions, for fear their houses would fall on their heads.

1608.  Daniel Tuvill, Essays Politic and Moral, 64.

1755.  Letter, in Gentl. Mag., Dec., 561. At the time the city [of Lisbon] fell … on the opposite side of the river … many houses also fell.

1829.  Milman, Hist. Jews, XVI. (1878), 391. One of them [towers] had fallen with its own weight.

  b.  Of a substance: To crumble.

1770–4.  A. Hunter, Georg. Ess. (1803), I. 30. Clay, well limed, will fall in winter, and ferment with acids.

  † c.  Of a vessel (in the body): To break down. Of a stitch: To give way. Obs.

1615.  Crooke, Body of Man, 83. How shal it passe that way after those passages and pores are falne.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 91. Let the Taylor lay aside his Thimble, and but undertake to mend a stitch fallen in their Bodies, and they shall have money freer, and good words sooner than any Doctor of them all.

  27.  To fall in or to † mold, pieces, powder: to break up into fragments, and drop. Similarly, to fall in two, asunder. In mod. use to fall to pieces is often transf. and fig.; cf. go, come to pieces (see PIECE).

a. 1300.  Cursor Mundi, 22797 (Cott.).

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIII. i. (1495), 438. By strengthe of grete driness therth shulde falle to powder.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 133. The casual slipping out of a Pin had made several parts of his Clock fall to pieces.

1697.  Dampier, Voy. (1698), I. 215. Here Captain Harris went to lay his Ship aground to clean her, but she being old and rotten fell in pieces.

1799.  E. King, Munimenta Antiqua, I. 309. They fell to pieces on being touched.

1820.  Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., I. 254. Sometimes the rolling motion of the berg not ceasing, other pieces get loosened and detached, until the whole mass falls asunder, like a wreck.

1832.  Fr. A. Kemble, Lett., in Rec. Girlhood (1878), III. 214. Two arrests were served upon him by creditors of the theatre, who, I suppose, think when he is gone the whole concern must collapse and fall to pieces.

1878.  Morley, Carlyle, Critical Miscellanies, Ser. I. 200. Would it have been better, if it had been possible, for the old belief gradually as by process of nature to fall to pieces?

1882.  Standard, 9 Dec., 2/8. The crew rapidly fell to pieces.

  † b.  To fall in two, to pieces: (Sc.) to give birth to a child; cf. 40 c. Obs.

1781.  Bentham, Wks. (1843), X. 111. Mrs. Dunning came on Tuesday; she is just ready to fall to pieces.

1788.  Picken, Poems, Edina, 43. She fell in twa wi’ little din.

  IV.  28. To move precipitately or with violence; to rush. Obs. exc. combined with preps., as in To fall upon, to assault (see branch X). † To fall about (a person’s) ears: to assail suddenly with blows.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 2867. Other folke vpon fer fell thedur thicke. Ibid., 13171. Þai fell to me fuersly, & my folke slogh.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 1133. With þat þe flammand flode fell in his eȝen.

1632.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 163. Many Galleyes fall towards them so suddenly.

1660–1.  Pepys, Diary, 23 March. His master fell about his ears and beat him.

  V.  To be determined to a specified position or object; to have a certain incidence.

  29.  Of a missile or moving body, a movement; also, of light, the sight, etc.: To have or take its direction; to be determined or directed; to settle or impinge. Const. on, upon. So also of sound, To fall upon the ear.

1658.  Willsford, Nature’s Secrets, 61. A Rain-bow … formed by the light rays of the Sun falling upon vapours … opposite unto him.

1665.  Hooke, Microgr., 74. The ting’d Rays … past through them, and fell on a sheet of white Paper.

1709.  Berkeley, Th. Vision, § 35. By how much the greater is the convergency or divergency of the rays falling on the pupil, by so much the further will the point of their reunion be from the retina, either before or behind it.

1793.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 229. She had cleared the south point of the south-east reef, and fell upon the south reef near the highest part.

1834.  Medwin, Angler in Wales, I. 290. Being more alarmed than ever by the disturbance in the bed of the river, made by a random spear that fell wide of him, turned sharp round.

1865.  J. G. Bertram, The Harvest of the Sea (1873), 236. The spawn falls at a considerable distance from the place where it has been emitted.

1878.  G. MacDonald, Phantastes, II. xvi. 53. The sound of a closing door, the saddest of all sounds sometimes, fell on my ear.

1886.  A. Sergeant, No Saint, II. vi. 131. He turned away; but, as he turned, his eye fell once more upon Cissy.

1890.  Spectator, 10 May. The dreary forest, where full light never falls.

1892.  Maartens, God’s Fool, xv., in Temple Bar Mag., XCIV., April, 474. The words fell solemnly on the stillness, issuing from that cavern of darkness.

  b.  To have its eventual situation in a certain place, or on a certain object.

1570.  Billingsley, Euclid, I. vii. 17. The poynt D shall fall either within the triangle ABC, or without.

1589.  Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. (Arb.), 86. The Cesure fals iust in the middle. Ibid., II. (Arb.), 92. Your sharpe accent falles vpon the last sillable.

1705.  Cheyne, Phil. Princ., § 42. 245. Birds and Fowls that sleep, resting on one Foot to ease the other, naturally lay their Heads under their Wings, that so the Center of the Gravity of their whole Body, may fall upon the Foot they stand on, and the Animal be preserv’d from overturning.

1816.  Playfair, Nat. Phil. (1819), II. 17. When the perpendicular … falls within the triangle.

1875.  Ouseley, Harmony, iv. 61. Causes the Semitones to fall between the 3rd and 4th.

  30.  Of a lot, a choice, or anything that is determined by fortune or choice: To ‘light upon’ a particular object. See also LOT.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 124. Þe lote felle on Reynere, and on his wif also.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 1942, Ariadne. The lotte is fallen hym upon.

1535.  Coverdale, Ps. xv[i]. 6. The lott is fallen vnto me in a fayre grounde.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 417. After a long fight the victorie fell on the Englishe part.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., II. iv. 29.

1611.  Bible, Acts i. 26. They gaue foorth their lots, and the lot fell vpon Matthias.

1721.  Lond. Gaz., No. 6008/1. The Election by Balloting fell upon M. d’Erlac.

1838.  Thirlwall, Greece, IV. 47. The suspicion of disaffection, which naturally fell on a man of eminent talents who kept aloof from all political pursuits.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 248. The choice of almost all the shires and burghs fell on Whig candidates.

1855.  Kingsley, Heroes, II. (1868), 241. The people stood wailing and weeping, as the lot fell on this one and on that.

  31.  To come as a lot, portion, or possession; to be allotted or apportioned. Const. † with dat. or to, † unto; rarely impers. Also in phrases, to fall to one’s lot or share (see LOT, SHARE).

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4072 (Cott.). Þat blis sal þe neuer fall.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 142. Him felle to be þe toþer.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 7343. Sich armour as to hem felle.

1475.  The Boke of Noblesse, 23. Youre next enheritaunce that fille to youre seide progenitoures.

1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 35. Although it [victorie] fall to the lot of the better, yet it maketh them the more … violent.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 28. One onely poore Farme fell to my share.

a. 1668.  Denham, Progr. Learning, 12.

1696.  trans. Du Mont’s Voy. Levant, 127. Enjoying the Commanderies that fall to ’em by right of Seniority.

1710.  Steele, The Tatler, No. 180, 3 June, ¶ 1. He had an Estate fallen to him.

1742.  Fielding, J. Andrews, II. xiv. The hogs fell chiefly to his care.

1838.  Thirlwall, Greece, II. 320. Many [prisoners] fell to the share of Agrigentum.

1858.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt. (1865), I. III. xvi. 234. The whole fighting fell to Sir Horace.

1873.  Black, Pr. Thule, ix. 131. Enriched with a greater treasure than falls to the lot of most men.

  32.  To come as a burden or duty. Const. to, on, upon; also to with inf.

1599.  Minsheu, Pleasant and Delightfull Dialogues in Spanish and English (1623), 59. Doe you know when we watch? This night it fals to the companie.

1694.  Acc. Sev. Late Voy., II. (1711), 174. The Loss or Gain falls upon the Merchants.

1841.  Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., II. I. 25. It falls rather to the zoologist than to the botanist to notice them. Ibid. (1852), XIII. I. 2. A charge of two cents an acre on these lands, which fell to be paid by the allottees.

1885.  Law Times, LXXIX. 188/2. The expense … must fall upon the purchaser.

  b.  Followed by inf. To be under the necessity, to ‘have to’ (be, do, etc.). rare in literary use; common in north. dial.

1848.  Blackw. Mag., Nov., 536. These countries would fall to be excluded, since, by language and race, they form part of a totally different branch of the European family.

  † 33.  To appertain or belong; to be applicable, fitting, or proper. Const. dat. of indirect obj., or for, to, till. Obs.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 6.

c. 1325.  Coer de L., 1392.

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, xii. 6. Wondirful criynge þat falles till contemplatif lyf.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 50. Þenne Reddite’ quaþ God ‘þat to Cesar falleþ.’

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Man of Law’s Tale, 51.

a. 1400.  Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867), 15. ‘Seese ȝowre callynge.’ This worde falles till vs folke of religioune.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 298. Blood-letynge … falliþ for oure craft þouȝ we for pride take it to barbouris & to wommen.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxxi. 338. White clothis we saie fallis for a fonned ladde.

c. 1450.  Bk. Curtasye, 640, in Badees Bk. (1868), 321.

15[?].  How Plowman lerned Pater Noster, 20, in Hazl., E. P. P. (1864), 210.

  † b.  impers.; also quasi-impers. with inf. phr. or subord. cl. as subject. Obs.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 446. Þe bones … yburede ys þere vayre ynou, as vel to an kyng.

c. 1300.  Seyn Julian, 9 (Ashm. MS.) It ne ualleð noȝt to me … to be ispoused to þe.

c. 1325.  English Metrical Homilies, 11.

c. 1375.  Cato Major, II. ix., in Anglia, VII.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XIX. 186. ‘Hit falleþ nat me to lye.’

1401.  Jacke Upland, Political Poems (1861), II. 20.

1428.  Surtees Misc., 10. Als fallez a trew merchaunt to doo.

1563.  B. Googe, Eglogs (Arb.), 103.

  VI.  To come casually, or without design or effort, into a certain position.

  34.  Of things: To come by chance; esp. † To fall in or into a person’s heart, mind, etc.: to occur to (him); also, To fall in one’s † road, way, etc.; rarely of a person.

c. 1340.  Cursor M., 15483 (Fairf.). How muȝt hit falle in þi hert to be-gyn suche a dede.

1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, V. i. (1859), 71. There sawe I soo grete lyght and clerte, that it myghte not fall in no mans mynde fully to descryuen it.

1530.  Palsgr., 544/1. I wyll nat do but as it falleth in my brayne.

1583.  Hollyband, Campo di Fior, 3. There is some thing fallen I know not what into mine eyes.

1590.  Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 23 b. I will (with the helpe of almightie God) answere as many of them [objections] as shall fall into my memorie.

1605.  Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vows, II. § 44. As for riches, if they fall in my way, I refuse them not.

1624.  Massinger, Renegado, II. iv.

1656.  Burton’s Diary (1828), I. 43. A matter of the like nature cannot possibly fall before you, as private persons.

1677.  Hale, The Primitive Origination of Mankind, I. ii. 62. A long advertent and deliberate connexing of Consequents; which falls not in the common road of ordinary men, but of Philosophers, Metaphysical heads, and such as have had a more refined education.

1751.  T. Hollis, in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 379. Acquainting you with any thing that fell in my way abroad.

1861.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 35. The earliest notice on the subject which has fallen in his way is an instruction to an English envoy at the court of the emperor.

  35.  Of persons. a. To come by chance into a certain position. Now chiefly in phrase (of biblical origin), to fall among (thieves, etc.).

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 79. A mon lihte from ierusalem in to ierico and fol imong þoues.

1382.  Wyclif, Luke x. 30. Sum man cam doun fro Jerusalem in to Jerico, and felde among theuues. [So 1535, in Coverdale; 1611, in A. V.]

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 39. I sithence fell into company.

1611.  Shaks., Cymb., III. vi. 75.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1638), 84. [He] falls among five hundred light horse of Curroons and perishes.

1879.  Miss Braddon, Clov. Foot, XXVI. I fell among thieves, and got cleaned out.

1879.  M. J. Guest, Lect. Hist. Eng., xxx. 296. With all the mixed company he falls into, he gives himself no airs.

  b.  To happen, or be thrown † into, on, or upon (a period of specified character).

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 370. Ye are now falne into a time, wherein there is much opposition to Christ.

1803.  Pic Nic, No. 2 (1806), I. 56. You are fallen on such incorrigible times.

1844.  Disraeli, Coningsby, VI. ii. 226. The degenerate days on which he had fallen.

1888.  M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., Ser. II. iii. 91. Gray, a born poet, fell upon an age of prose.

  36.  To come naturally, without forcing or effort. lit. and fig. † To fall to oneself: to regain self-control. Obs.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 316. In þis maner þe boon schal falle into his joinct.

1517.  Torkington, Pilgr. (1884), 22. We … fell to an Ankyr in the Rode.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. i. 35.

1760–72.  trans. Juan & Ulloa’s Voy. (ed. 3), II. 287. The ship will fall into her station without any difficulty.

Mod.  When the main features of your plan are settled, the details will fall into their places easily.

  37.  To be naturally divisible into.

1641.  Bp. Hall, Rem., Wks. (1660), 66. The Text falls into these parts so naturally.

1862.  Temple Bar Mag., VI. Oct., 388. The subject of reflection falls into four divisions.

1876.  F. G. Fleay, Shaks. Manual, II. i. 128. The plays fall distinctly into four periods.

  VII.  To pass suddenly, accidentally, or in the course of events, into a certain condition.

  38.  Of persons: To pass (usually, with suddenness) † in, into, † to some specified condition, bodily or mental, or some external condition or relation.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 224. He … feol so into unhope.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 19084 (Cott.). For wonder sum þat fell in suim. Ibid., 20496 (Cott.). All þar fell to slepe onan.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., 590, Cleopatra. He was fallyn in prosperite.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, I. x. (1544), 21 a. The wretchednes that I am in fall.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxii. 489. Yf thus he wylle doo I shall falle to peas.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, li. 172. I am fallen in to pouerte and mysery.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 14. The Abbot of Westminster … fell in a sodaine palsey. Ibid., 32. [He] fell in suche fauour with the kyng.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 136. He fell to agreement with the French king.

1570–6.  Lambarde, A Perambulation of Kent (1826), 211. Shee fell into the travaile of childe birthe.

1655.  R. Phelipps, in The Nicholas Papers (Camden) II. 298–9. I am fallen into an acquaintance with a most eminent Leueller, who was soe kind as to reade 4 letters to me which he had out of England by y^e last post, which all agree in this one thing, y^t Cromwell will speadily downe by y^t faction.

1659.  B. Harris, trans. Parival’s The History of This Iron Age, 139. These two, being both Officers of the same Master, fell to difference.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 68, 15 Sept., ¶ 3. Some who fall into Laughter out of a certain Benevolence in their Temper.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 7, 1 Sept., ¶ 2. I fell into a profound Contemplation on the vanity of human life.

1751.  Jortin, Serm. (1771), IV. i. 54. He fell into an agony at the thoughts of it.

a. 1862.  Buckle, Civiliz. (1873), III. iv. 192. The religious servitude into which the Scotch fell.

1879.  Geo. Eliot, A College Breakfast-Party, 377.

1879.  M. J. Guest, Lect. Hist. Eng., xix. 186. Henry fell into one of his fearful rages.

  b.  To fall in love: to become enamoured. Const. with. Also transf. to become very fond of, or devoted to. (Cf. 40 c.)

1530.  Palsgr., 544/2. I shall fall in love with her.

1591.  Shaks., Two Gent., I. ii. 2. Would’st thou then counsaile me to fall in loue?

1659.  J. Moxon, Tutor to Astron., 18. To make Men fall in love with Astronomy.

1768.  Mad. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), I. 25. A young lady of fashion, fortune, education, birth, accomplishments, and beauty has fallen in love with my cousin.

1837.  Lytton, E. Maltrav., 14. We must not fall in love with each other.

1866.  G. MacDonald, Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood, i. (1878), 6. I would go and fall in love, first of all, if I could, with the country round about.

  39.  Of things, whether material or immaterial: To pass, lapse (usually, unperceived or by neglect) † in, into, † to some specified condition, esp. arrears, confusion, decay, ruin, etc. Cf. 26, 27.

a. 1340.  Cursor M., 9204 (Trin.). Þat kyngdome fel in to wrake.

1530.  Palsgr., 545/1. This castell falleth to ruynes euery day.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 35. It flowreth in June and July, and then falleth to seede.

1579.  Fenton, Guicciard., I. (1599), 8. If in this desire he had beene satisfied, the peace of Italy had not perhaps falne into so sodaine alteration and trouble.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., V. iii. 23.

1720.  Ozell, trans. Vertot’s Rom. Rep., I. VII. 424. The Great ones pulled off the Mask, and the Lex Licinia fell at length into Contempt, and the People into Indigence and Misery.

1761.  Hume, Hist. Eng., III. liv. 167. He found everything fallen into such confusion.

1817.  W. Selwyn, Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4), II. 1227. The form of declaring with a continuando has fallen into disuse.

1879.  M. J. Guest, Lect. Hist. Eng., xxxi. 306. The tribute … had fallen into arrears.

1889.  Mrs. C. Carr, Marg. Maliphant, II. xx. 103. The wane of the day had fallen into dusk.

  40.  With compl. (adj., sb., or prepositional phrase): To become (whatever the complement signifies).

  The compl. usually denotes either an unfavorable condition, or one that comes in the ordinary course of events.

  a.  with adj. as complement (e.g., ill, lame, sick, vacant, etc.). To fall due: see DUE.

1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xxvi. 13. The man fel ryche.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 856. Philip falne [was] sare seke.

1530.  Palsgr., 545/1. My lorde entendeth to gyve him the nexte benyfyce that falleth voyde.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, clxii. 629, heading. To fal aquaynted with the fayre damoysel.

1607.  Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1673), 241. The King fell exceeding angry.

1658.  A. Fox, trans. Wurtz’ Surg., II. xi. 89. it happeneth many times, when a party is wounded in the Back, that he fals lame, either in his hand, arme, or elsewhere, where no defect at all was, which is caused onely by those white veins that are hurt.

1667.  Sir C. Lyttleton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 51. Falling very ill again … of feavor.

1751.  Smollett, Per. Pic., vii. She fell sick of sorrow and mortification.

1820.  Southey, Life Wesley, II. 414. His horse fell lame.

1858.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt. (1865), I. III. iii. 147. The Teutsch Ritters were fallen moneyless.

1879.  Froude, Cæsar, xviii. 303. The old magistrates went out of office, and Rome was left again without legitimate functionaries to carry on the government. All the offices fell vacant together.

1889.  A. Sergeant, Luck of House, I, ix. 129. Her tongue would fall silent.

  b.  with sb. as compl. Now only in to fall heir.

1591–2.  Bacon, Letter to Lady Bacon, in Spedding, Life & Lett. (1861), I. 116. Alderman Haywood is deceased this night; his eldest son is fallen ward.

1606.  G. W[oodcocke], trans. Hist. Ivstine, 29 b. At last they fal friends out of a voluntarie consent.

1627–77.  Feltham, Resolves, I. xix. 35. ’Tis gain, not love to Treason, that makes man fall a Traitor.

1891.  Mark Twain, Mental Telegraphy, in Harper’s Mag., LXXXIII., Dec., 100/2. The elder … eventually fell heir to a certain estate in England (now an earldom), and died right away.

  † c.  with prep. phr. as complement. Obs. exc. dial.

1508.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys, 14. They fall out of theyr mynde.

1530.  Palsgr., 544/1. He is fallen all on a sweate.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 45 b. Hey … yf it be carryed into the Loft, rotteth, and the vapour being overheated, falleth on fyre and burneth.

1578.  Lyte, Dodoens, III. xxvi. 352. Them that waxe mad or fall beside themselves.

1631.  J. Weever, Ancient Funerall Monuments, 691. Leyland by a most pitifull accident fell besides his wits; which was the cause (belike) that these his workes were neuer imprinted.

1813.  Picken, Poems, Auld Joanna, 43. Plear-e’ed Kate had fa’n wi’ bairn.

1877.  E. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss. Fall wi’ bairn, to become pregnant.

  d.  To fall to be: to come to be.

1548.  Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. John, 42. Our mynde ought not so to be delited in the contemplacion of hye thynges that we fall to be careles of our common stocke.

1663.  Gerbier, Counsel, 44. The peeres of Brick or Stone between them [window-cases], will fall to be of a fit width to be a strengthening to the building.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1766), I. 443. William fell to be in ill terms with his mother.

1887.  Stevenson, Misadv. J. Nicholson, iv. 6. The memory of his faults had already fallen to be one of those old aches.

  41.  a. Of a benefice or its revenues: To lapse, revert to the feudal superior. † b. Of an office, living, holding: To become vacant. Obs.

1530.  Palsgr., 544/1. So sone as thou cannest se any offyce fall, come aske it of the kynge.

1550.  Crowley, Epigr., 948.

1583.  Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees), II. 76. To remayne … in the manor house of Thirlwall, untill Newbiggen fall.

1665.  J. Webb, Stone-Heng (1725), 119. He … returned into England when His Place fell.

1686.  R. Parr, Life Usshur. He … obtained a grant of a patent … of such impropriations belonging to the Crown, as were then Leased out, as soon as they should fall.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time, II. 286. The Mastership of the temple was like to fall.

1796.  Jane Austen, Pride & Prej. (1885), I. xvi. 68. He meant to provide for me amply, and thought he had done it; but when the living fell, it was given elsewhere.

1839.  Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 48. Hence it is said that the abolition should have been gradual, that the convents should have been prohibited to receive any more members, and that as the actual members died off the revenues should fall to the crown.

1871.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), IV. xvii. 58. The New Minster was held to fall by the treason of its Abbot.

  † 42.  To change, turn to, into (something worse). Obs.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 108. Ȝoure fraunchise þat freo was fallen is to þraldom.

1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 7. Love is falle into discorde. Ibid., III. 275. Which … From aungels into fendes felle.

1426.  Audelay, Poems, 12. Ale the wyt of this word fallus to foly.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. 18. Your writing … falleth otherwise to a manner of reproaching.

  † 43.  Of the weather: To turn out, prove to be.

1633.  G. Herbert, Temple, Complaining, ii.

  VIII.  To occur, come to pass, befall, result.

  † 44.  To arrive in course of time. Cf. COME v. 19.

c. 1340.  Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 2616.

1340–70.  Alex. & Dind., 323. We mowe tellen our time whan þe time fallus.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., IV. 337. Two Honey Harvests fall in ev’ry Year.

  45.  Of a special day or season: To come or occur at a stated time, or within stated limits.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 277. A Seyn Austynes day yt was, as yt valþ in May.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 17288 + 77 (Cott.).

c. 1391.  Chaucer, Astrol., II. § 12. The xiij day of March fil vp-on a Saterday.

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., I. i. § 20. The 11 Generation after Moses, which will fall about the time of Samuel.

1694.  Holder, Time, viii. 101. The Vernal Equinox, which at the time of the Nicene Council fell upon the 21st of March, falls now above 10 days sooner.

1853.  Maurice, Proph. & Kings, xx. 343. The date of that event [the destruction of Nineveh] has been settled, apparently on good evidence, as falling between the years 610 and 600 before Christ.

1889.  C. Smith, The Repentance of Paul Wentworth, III. iv. 44. Easter fell early that year, and people seemed inclined to linger on as late as possible at the country houses.

  46.  Of an event, etc.: To come to pass; to happen, to occur. Obs. exc. poet. a. simply; rarely with adj. as complement.

c. 1290.  S. Eng. Leg., I. 16/512. Mani miracle þar feol a-day.

a. 1340.  Cursor Mundi, 12284 (Trin.). Wherfore haue ye leten þis falle.

1382.  Wyclif, Ecclus. xlviii. 29. He shewide thingus to come … er that thei fellen.

c. 1450.  Lonelich, Grail, lvi. 64. A famyne that schold fallen in gret Bretaygne.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxlvi. 174. Lykewise they woll deale with vs if the case fell lyke.

a. 1547.  Surrey, Æneid, II. 897. A sodein monstrous marvel fell.

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 521. The death of this cruel. Tyran, Ephiphanes; that shall fall about two moneths after this later period.

1764.  Goldsm., The Traveller, 57.

1823.  Longfellow, Life (1891), I. iii. 33. I am rather sorry that the Exhibition falls so late in the year. The Chapel will be very cold and uncomfortable, both for the performers and the spectators.

1878.  Tennyson, Q. Mary, V. i. If war should fall between yourself and France.

  b.  with dat. as indirect obj., or to, unto. Also with adj. as compl. Obs. exc. arch.

c. 1300.  Cursor M., App. ii. 706. Thei comen lepand þiderwarde, and þat hem fel swiþe harde.

1375.  Barbour, Bruce, II. 45. Sa hard myscheiff hym fell.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 272. Þe mare vnfryndschip þarfore · fall sall þe neuire.

c. 1450.  Merlin, 10. It … neuer fill to woman saf oonly to me.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, vii. 15. The peteous aduenture that fell after to the two chyldren.

1583.  Sempill, Bp. of St. Androis, in Ballates (1872), 218. A vengeance faa him.

18[?].  Tennyson, Grasshopper, Poems (1830), 108. Shame fall ’em.

  c.  impers; also quasi-impers. with subject clause. Now rare. Const. dat., rarely with adj. as compl. † Him fell well: he prospered. † It falleth profit: it proves profitable. † May fall (in ME. = mayhap, perhaps): see MAY.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1521. Niðede ùat folk him fel wel.

c. 1340.  Cursor Mundi, 11929 (Fairf.).

1375.  Cantic. de Creatione, 638, in Anglia, I.

c. 1375.  Cato Major, I. viii., in Anglia, VII.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 431. It falleþ profyte to summe men to be bounde to a stake.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 2600. Þof vs fall now to flee · we may na ferryre wend.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, lx. 210. So it fell that after the deth of his father about a .vii. yere, kinge Charlemayn sent for hym to do his homage.

1611.  Bible, 2 Kings iv. 11. And it fell on a day that hee came thither, and hee turned into the chamber, and lay there.

1868–70.  Morris, Earthly Par. (1890), 387/2.

  d.  In phrases, Fair fall, Foul fall: may good or evil befall. Also, † Fall what can, will, fall: happen what may; through thick and thin.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1376.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 277.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xvi. 50. Faire falle þe my faire sone.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 37. Falle what wolle falle, y wol do more euelle.

1523.  Skelton, Garl. Laurel, 27. Fair fall that forster that so well can bate his hownde.

1631.  Massinger, Emp. East, II. i.

1651.  Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 100. Then fair fall the Antinomians.

a. 1775.  Hobie Noble i., in Child, Ballads (1890) VII. clxxxix. 2/1. Foul fa the breast first treason bred in!

1787.  Burns, To a Haggis, i. Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face.

1860.  Martin, Horace, 218. Foul fall the day.

1884.  Cheshire Gloss., s.v. ‘Fair-faw Johnny; he’s best lad o’ th’ two.’

  47.  To come in the course of events, or of orderly treatment. Const. with dat. infin. To fall to be, to be (spoken of, etc.).

1450–1530.  Myrr. our Ladye, 34. The feaste of saynt Anyan fell to be the same tyme at Orleaunce.

1535.  in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. I. 317. The same gentleman that toke hym may convaye hym to the forsaide place wher he shall faule to be upon monday next.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 87. The Gardens fall in the next place, to bee spoken of.

1639.  Gentilis, Servita’s Inquis. (1676), 872. The Court of Rome in making new Bulls, taketh no great advice; with ease they are made, because with ease they are revoked; or derogated from, or dispensed with; as it falls to be most commodious for their businesses, wherein they regard their own ends.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1724), I. iii. 372. A Church falling to be given in that way, the electors had a mind to choose me: But yet they were not willing to offend the Court.

1863.  Burton, Bk. Hunter, 310. Had it fallen to be edited by a philosophical enquirer.

1879.  Frowde, Cæsar, vii. 62. The campaign of Sylla in the East does not fall to be described in this place.

1884.  Daily News, 11 Feb., 5/5. The advance would fall to be made in the driest time.

  † 48.  To come as a consequence or result. Const. by, from, of, out of. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4519 (Cott.).

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. iii. (1495), 223. Of that ytchynge fallyth many scalles.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 191. Icchinge & scabbe … falliþ ofte of salt metis.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, Cj. Yet shalle I saye … how it happed … and what fylle therof.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, ii. 4. Wherby so many illes haue fallen.

c. 1585.  R. Browne, Answ. Cartwright, 57. Other matters, which fall out of the former proofes.

a. 1656.  Bp. Hall, Soliloquies, 35. What can fall from defective causes but imperfect effects?

  † b.  To turn to, result in; to turn out, result.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15419 (Cott.).

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., XII. 47. Felyce hir fayrnesse; fel hir al to sklaundre.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. clxxxv. (1495), 727. Dronkenesse fallyth ofte in mannys slowthe and spouse brekynge.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 8934. All oure fare & oure fortune hath fallyn to þe best.

1611.  Bible, Ruth iii. 18. Sit still … vntill thou know how the matter will fall.

1699.  Bentley, Phal., 211. Let the dispute about Comedy and Susarion fall as it will (though I think that to be no hazard;) yet he will still be convicted of a Cheat, upon this second Indictment.

  † c.  Fall of (after ‘what’): To happen to, to become of. Cf. BECOME 4. Obs.

c. 1430.  Chev. Assigne, 130. And askede hym, in good feythe · what felle of þe chyldren.

1485.  Caxton, Paris & Vienna (1868), 45. What shal falle of you my lady whan your fader shal see you.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. lxxviii. [lxxiv.] 234. No man knewe what sholde fal of theyr bodyes.

  IX.  Transitive senses, * causative.

  † 49.  To let fall, drop; to shed (tears); to cast, shed (leaves); to bring down (a weapon, the hand, etc.). Obs. exc. in Bellringing (see quot. 1868).

1475.  The Boke of Noblesse, 66. It wolde make an harde hert man to falle the teris of his yen.

1594.  Shaks., Rich. III., V. iii. 135.

1598.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. II. (1641), 120/2.

1598.  Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., I. xii. (1622), 23. Arminius wife: affecting rather her husband then father: and being taken, not once falling a teare, nor crauing fauor.

1600.  Shaks., As You Like It, III. v. 5.

a. 1628.  F. Greville, Poems, Cælica, xxxvi.

1632.  Nabbes, Covent Garden, I. v. You’ve fallen my glove.

1665.  G. Havers, P. della Valle’s Trav. E. India, 2. We cast Anchor without falling our sails.

1665–76.  Ray, Flora, 20. Of Flower-bearing Trees and Shrubs, which fall their leaves in Winter, and renew them again every Spring, there are many kinds.

1808.  J. Barlow, The Columbiad, VII. 201.

1868.  Denison, Clocks & Watches (ed. 5), 415. In some parts of England they never raise and ‘fall’ the bells in order.

  † b.  fig. To ‘drop,’ not to insist on. Obs.

a. 1700.  Dryden, Of Heroic Plays. I am willing to let fall this argument: It is free for every man to write, or not to write, in verse, as he judges it to be, or not to be, his talents.

  † c.  To drop, give birth to (lambs, etc.). Obs.

1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., I. iii. 89.

1667.  Colepresse, in Phil. Trans., II. 480. A White Lamb faln on a Common.

  † 50.  To let down, lower in position or direction. To fall one’s crest; see CREST. Obs.

1692.  Capt. Smith’s Seaman’s Gram., II. xxii. 135. Causing a Matross to raise or fall the Gun with an Hank-spike.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa, V. vi. 82. Just half-rearing the lids, to see who the next-comer was; and falling them again, when her curiosity was satisfied.

1795.  J. Phillips, Hist. Inland Navig., 8. The strange Method employed by the Chinese to raise or fall Vessels out of one Canal into another, where they are not level.

  † b.  To cause to settle or subside. Obs.

1789.  Trans. Soc. Encourag. Arts, II. 235. Throwing in a small quantity of oil to fall the froth.

  † c.  To lower (the voice), either in pitch or loudness. Obs.

1626.  Bacon, Sylva, § 105. If a Man would endeuour to raise or fall his Voice still by Half-Notes, like the Stops of a Lute.

1748.  Dodsley, Preceptor, Introd. (1763), I. 44. Emphasis is raising the Voice, Cadence is falling it.

  † d.  To lower (a price, etc.); to bring down in value, depreciate; to depress (the market). Also, of land: To become worth less (rent). Obs.

1677.  Yarranton, Eng. Improv., 149. The Lands fall Rents.

1691.  Locke, Lower. Interest, Wks. 1727, II. 8. You fall the Price of your Native Commodities.

1717.  Newton, in Rigaud, Corr. Sci. Men (1841), II. 425. In raising and falling the money, their King’s edicts have sometimes varied a little.

1722.  Lett. from Mist’s Wkly. Jrnl., II. 41. The turning of Money in Stocks; and raising and falling the Market.

1790.  Burke, Fr. Rev., 286–7. If the landed man wishes to mortgage, he falls the value of his land, and raises the value of assignats.

  † 51.  To bring or throw to the ground; to overthrow. lit. and fig. Obs.

c. 1300.  K. Alis., 7186.

1362.  Langl., P. Pl., A. III. 43.

c. 1420.  Sir Amadace (Camd.), xxxviii. God may bothe mon falle and rise.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 78. By desire men are enflamed, by anger kindled, fallen by errour.

1622.  J. Boys, Wks., 301. The serpent doth sometime bruise our heele, and so fall vs, and happily foile vs, but Christ our Generall hath broken his head.

  b.  Of a horse: To ‘throw’ (its rider). U. S.

  The wk. conjugation indicates that this is taken as another word, f. FALL sb.

a. 1851.  W. Colton, Ship & Shore, viii. 139. The servant-boy … told how the animal had failed him three times.

  c.  To cut down (trees). Obs. exc. dial. or U. S.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 2929.

c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., II. 437. Nowe make is to falle in season best.

1523.  Fitzherbert, The Boke of Husbandry, § 134. To fal the vnder-wode fyrst at any tyme between Martilmas and holyrode-day.

1685.  Col. Rec. Pennsylv., I. 128. A Penalty to be laid upon such as Cutt or fall Marked … trees.

1805.  H. Repton, Landscape Gard., 75. The most beautiful places may … be formed by falling … trees.

1875.  Parish, Sussex Gloss., s.v. ‘These trees are getting too thick, I shall fall a few of them next year.’

1883.  E. Ingersoll, In a Redwood Logging Camp, in Harper’s Mag., LXVI., Jan., 201/1. We must fall a tree straight and true.

  † 52.  To throw, direct, cause to impinge (upon).

a. 1774.  Goldsmith, Surv. Experim. Philos. (1776), II. 235. If a plain looking-glass warmed at a great distance, a number of plain glasses, united to fall their rays upon the same spot, would actually burn.

      ** not causative.

  † 53.  = ‘To fall from,’ ‘to fall down.’ Obs.

c. 1450.  Life of St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 5993. How a ȝonge man felle a tre.

1665.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 201.

  54.  To have as one’s share, come in for, obtain. Obs. exc. dial.

  [Derived from 31, by transposition of subject and object.]

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 2406.

a. 1568.  A. Scott, Poems (1820), 51. Feind a crum of the scho fawis.

1637–50.  Row, The History of the Kirk of Scotland (1842), 89. If a minister depart this life after Michaelmas,… his executors shall fall that year’s stipend, and also half of the nixt.

1641.  H. Best, Rural Economy in Yorkshire in 1641 (Surtees), 26. If they bee under five the procter is to have noe woll … but if there bee above five fleeces remaininge, the procter falleth a whole fleece.

1690.  W. Walker, Idiomat. Anglo-Lat., 164. He heard that Dion had fallen a good estate.

1730.  Song, For a’ that, in Collect. Loyal Songs, 43.

[Cf. 1796.  Burns, For a’ that, iv. Guid faith he mauna fa’ that.]

1889.  Manley & Corringham Gloss. Fall, to get, to receive.

  X.  With prep, (and prepositional phrases).

  Besides the prepositions from, into, out of, to, which naturally follow fall, it is construed with a variety of others, for which see above: in the following combinations the sense is more or less specialized.

  55.  Fall a ——. To set about, take to, begin (some action). Now only with vbl. sbs. in -ing.

  Cf. fall on (64 a), and A prep.¹ 13 b.

1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 274. Democritus … fell a laughing at what so euer he sawe done.

1635.  Sibbes, Soul’s Confl., Pref. (1638), 11. Luther when he saw Melancthon a good and learned man too much dejected for the state of the Church in those times, falls a chiding of him.

a. 1644.  Chillingw., Serm. ii. (1664), 43. He is scarse a man … till he fall a work.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, V. vi. Mr. Jones now fell a trembling as if he had been shaken with the fit of an ague.

1867.  Trollope, Chron. Barset, II. liii. 101. She reined in her horse and fell a-weeping.

  56.  Fall across ——. To come upon by chance, meet with.

1886.  ‘Hugh Conway,’ Living or Dead, v. I happened to fall across Estmere … in the park.

  57.  Fall at ——. † a. To be drawn or pass suddenly into (debate, strife, etc.). To fall at square: see SQUARE. Obs.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xv. 69. Thurgh drunkenness þai fall at grete wordes.

1525.  2 Proph. St. Eng., in Furniv., Ballads from MSS., I. 316.

1648.  Herrick, Bag of Bee, i. Two Cupids fell at odds.

  † b.  Fall at hand. To be near at hand, to be going to happen. Obs.

1529.  More, A Dialoge of Comfort against Tribulacion, I. Wks. 1139/1. The worlde is here waxen such, and so great perils appeare here to fall at hande.

  58.  Fall behind ——. To drop into the rear of, be outstripped or left behind by.

1856.  Titan Mag., Nov., 443/1. A man who has fallen behind his age.

1890.  T. F. Tout, Hist. Eng. from 1689, 12. Dutch commerce was now falling behind that of England.

  59.  Fall down ——. a. See DOWN prep.

1712.  Berkeley, Pass. Obed., § 27. Suppose a prince … to fall down a precipice.

  b.  To descend or drop down (a river, etc.).

1699.  Dampier, Voy., II. I. 103. We fell down from Hean to our Ships.

1761–2.  Hume, Hist. Eng. (1806), V. lxxi. 296. The army quickly fell down the rivers and canals from Nimeguen.

1790.  Beatson, Nav. & Mil. Mem., 310. They fell down the river, till they came up to the 7 Dutch Ships.

  60.  Fall from ——. a. See simple senses. † b.

  To drop off in opinion from; to disagree with.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 342. We mai see … how þes popis fallen fro Petir, and myche more þei fallen fro Crist.

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. vii. 27. Galen after all his veneration of Hippocrates, in some things hath fallen from him.

  † c.  To drop away from, forsake, revolt against; to renounce one’s allegiance to, or connexion with.

1535.  Coverdale, Jer. lii. 3. Sedechias fel from the kynge of Babilon.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 148 b. After this spousage, the Kynges frendes fell from hym.

1548–9.  (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Offices, 24. Suffre vs not … to fal from thee.

1595.  Shaks., John, III. i. 320. England, I will fall from thee.

1649.  Bp. Reynolds, Serm. Hosea, i. 37. Achitophel, a man of great wisdome fals from David.

  † d.  To drop out of, give up (a practice or purpose); to depart from, break (a commandment).

1513.  More, in Grafton, Chron., II. 769. Theeves … never fall from their craft, after they once fall thereunto.

1535.  Coverdale, Judg. ii. 19. They wolde not fall from their purposes.

1542–5.  Brinkelow, Lament. (1874), 85. I exhorte yow, in the name of the lyuynge God, to repent be tyme, fall from your accustomed ydolatry.

1811.  Chalmers, Lett., in Life (1851), I. 243. We should love God ‘with all our heart and strength and mind,’ says the first commandment of the Law; and there is not a truth in the whole compass of philosophy which rests more firmly on the Baconian basis of experiment, than that in the heart and life of every individual who comes into the world this commandment is fallen from.

  e.  = Fall off (see 91 d) from.

1600.  E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 290. The French admirall … being ill intreated in this cruell fight, fell from the gallion Saint Mathew.

  61.  Fall in (= into) ——. † a. To come upon by chance, light upon. Obs.

1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B IV. 156. ‘I falle in floreines,’ quad þat freke.

  b.  = Fall into 62 d.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankl. T., 236. They fille in speche.

a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour (1868), 26. As thei felle in talkinge, ridyng on the waye, one of hem saide.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxlix. 177. He fyll in seruyce with a man of armes.

1530.  Palsgr., 544/2. I fall in aquoyntaunce with hym.

1632.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 81. She feared … to … fall in conference with him.

  e.  To fall in hand to or with: to set oneself to (an action), set upon (a person). See HAND.

  62.  Fall into ——. † a. To come into, by chance or otherwise; to drop into. To fall again into: to get back into, be restored to. Obs.

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxix. 207. He fell agayne into the princes love.

1698.  T. Froger, Voy., 39. We spent the Night in a perpetual Hurry; for the Wind continu’d so little in the same Point, and veer’d so often, that we durst not fall into the Bay till break of Day.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 83, 20 Oct., ¶ 1. I happened this Evening to fall into a Coffee-house near the ’Change, where two persons were reading my account of the Table of Fame.

1745.  P. Thomas, Jrnl. Anson’s Voy., 108. They fell into the Harbour unknown to themselves and by mere Chance, the 16^th Day at One o’Clock in the Morning, when seeing a Light on the Water, and having Paddles to make use of instead of Oars on occasion, they without any Noise paddled up to it, and finding it to be a Canoe a fishing with three Negroes in her, they secured both the Canoe and the People.

  † b.  To make a hostile descent or inroad upon. Obs.

1665.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 244. He was forced for some time to withdraw out of sight and towards night was accidentally and miserably slain by some Pioneers Inhabitants of Coon-sha who by mistake fell into his naked quarter.

1684.  Scanderbeg Rediv., iv. 62. The Tartars of Dialogrod falling into the Ukrain.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. 344. Ready either to invade them, or to fall into Flanders.

  c.  To take (one’s place), take one’s place in (the ranks, etc.). lit. and fig.

1632.  J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 145. Two hundred of them falling into a close order, interposed themselves.

1888.  W. J. Knox Little, Child of Stafferton, iv. 49. In a moment they all fell into their places.

1889.  Times (weekly ed.), 13 Dec., 3/3. Negotiations were opened with the lighter-men … in the hope of getting them to ‘fall into line’ with those unions.

1890.  S. Lane-Poole, Barbary Corsairs, I. xiv. 174. The Christian fleet was slower in falling into line.

  d.  To engage in, enter upon (esp. talk); to begin the discussion of (a subject). Also, to become the subject of (discourse).

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 90. Into sic talk fell thay.

1590.  Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, *3. They fall into argument of some such matters.

1666.  Pepys, Diary, 14 Aug. We … fell into dancing.

1673.  Temple, Ess. Ireland, Wks. 1731, I. 109. I know not what it was that fell into Discourse t’other Day.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 124, 23 July, ¶ 2. We must immediately fall into our Subject, and treat every part of it in a lively manner, or our papers are thrown by as dull and insipid.

1851.  Dixon, W. Penn, xxv. (1872), 224–5. Within a few months of the foundation, Penn could announce to the Society of Traders that eighty houses and cottages were ready; that the merchants and craftsmen had fallen into their callings; that the farmers had partly cleared their lands; that ships were continually coming with goods and passengers; and that plentiful crops had been obtained from the soil.

1889.  F. Pigot, Strangest Journ., 163. One lady had fallen into conversation with them.

  † e.  To come within (the range of); to be taken in or grasped by. Obs. rare.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, II. (1625), 16. He fell into your notice.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. ii. 340.

1712.  Addison, Spect., No. 415, 26 June, ¶ 10. The intire Concavity [of the dome] falls into your Eye at once.

  † f.  To come under, be included among. Obs.

1586.  A. Day, The English Secretary, I. 90. They [letters] … doe for the most part, fall into the … Defensorie or Excusatorie kinde.

  g.  To comply or take up with, accommodate oneself to. Also, to have recourse to.

1714–5.  Atterbury, Serm. (1737), 13 March, IV. x. 290. We fall into all his Commands and Directions with an implicit Obedience.

1788.  Priestley, Lect. Hist., V. lii. 404. To save the trouble of weighing the quantity, and examining the purity, of these metals, the generality of nations have fallen into the method of stamping them.

1790.  Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, June. We fell immediately into our usual Windsor life.

1890.  T. F. Tout, Hist. Eng. from 1689, 128. The ignorant masses fell blindly into the plans of the United Irishmen.

  h.  To get or drop into (a habit, etc.).

1886.  A. Sergeant, No Saint, I. vii. 141. He had fallen into a trick of walking with bent head and frowning brows.

  63.  To fall off ——. a. Of an animal: To lose appetite for (food); to refuse. b. Of a vessel: To deviate from (her course). Cf. 91 c, g.

1745.  Mortimer, in Phil. Trans., XLIII. 553. As soon as a Cow falls off her Meat, give her another Dose.

1839.  T. Beale, Sperm Whale, 316. Our second mate, who was at the main-mast head looking out for whales, called out in a loud voice for the helmsman to ‘up helm’ and allow the ship to fall off her course.

  64.  Fall on ——. † a. To pass suddenly or break out into, set about (an action or state). Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 14008 (Cott.). Sco fell on suilk a grete, þat al sco was vr lauerd fete.

1513.  More, in Grafton, Chron., II. 763. Thus should all the realme fall on a roare.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., VI. 262. The fellow fell on trembling.

1670.  Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1711), 52. We fall on fitting of our Rigging and getting the Ship fit.

1737.  Whiston, Josephus’ Antiq., VI. vi. § 3. If any one … fell on eating … he should be accursed.

  b.  Mil. To make a hostile descent or attack upon, join battle with; to rush upon, assault. (With indirect passive.)

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 10515. Ffallys on hym fuersly, frap hym to dethe.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 214 b. He feared lest the … commen people … would fall on hym, as one that fled away.

1667.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), 8 June, I. 26. The Dutch … were fallen on our fleet at Chatham.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. 533. No merchants’ ships should befallen on, till six months after a declaration of war.

1864.  J. H. Burton, The Scot Abroad, I. ii. 61. He [Stewart] collected a larger force of ruffians, and, descending on the Lowland like an avalanche, fell on the episcopal city of Elgin and burned its noble cathedral.

  transf. and fig.  1662.  J. Davies, Voy. Ambass., 419. When the Ambassador Brugman was pleas’d to fall on any with his ordinary Language which was picquant and satyrical enough.

1667.  Pepys, Diary (1877), V. 179. The Parliament … are likely to fall heavy on the business.

1711.  Steele, Spect., No. 260, 28 Dec., ¶ 1. You cannot fall on a better Subject than that of the art of growing old.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time, II. 38. The house of Commons were resolved to fall on all the ministry.

1827.  O. W. Roberts, Centr. Amer., 126. A heavy sea falls on the coast.

1840.  Barham, Ingol. Leg., Bagman’s Dog. He … fell tooth and nail on the soup and the bouilli.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 194. They fell on him [Clarendon] as furiously as their predecessors had fallen on Strafford.

  c.  To come across, light upon; † to hit upon (an expedient). (With indirect passive.)

1596.  Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., V. iv. 34.

1652.  Cotterell, trans. Cassandra, II. 107. At first he fell not on the thought of what it was.

1761–2.  Hume, Hist. Eng. (1806), V. lxix. 199. A strange expedient was fallen on to supply this deficiency.

1790.  Beatson, Nav. & Mil. Mem., I. 96. They fell on means to heave her round.

1890.  R. M. Kettle, Old Hall, I. vi. 51. They had fallen on a theme it would be unwise to pursue.

  d.  To have recourse to; to make use of.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 142. Presently they fall on that common place, how much mischiefe it [learning] may do without Grace.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. 452. Lord Clarendon’s enemies thought they were not safe, as long as the duke had so much credit with the king, and the dutchess had so much power over him: so they fell on propositions of a strange nature to ruin them.

1885.  Stevenson, Dynamiter, 175. Sir George, turning about, made a speech to his old companions fell on some expressions which I still remember.

  e.  To drop back to, resume (a position).

1809.  Roland, Fencing, 140. Salute both in carte and in tierce distinctly, as in the other salute, after which fall on the position of the guard as usual.

  f.  quasi-impers. with it introducing infinitive clause: To occur to, befall (a person), rare.

1842.  J. H. Newman, Par. Serm., VI. viii. 108. Some persons recollect a time as children when it fell on them to reflect what they were, whence they came, whither they tended, why they lived, what was required of them.

  g.  To fall on board: see simple senses and BOARD sb. 12 e. Cf. 72 a.

1805.  Log, in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson, VII. 207, note. The Royal Sovereign fell on board of our starboard beam, and there being a great swell she damaged the main channels….

  h.  To fall on one’s feet: fig. to fare fortunately, be well provided for.

1886.  Warner, Their Pilgrimage (1888), 6. Mr. King … was put in good humor by falling on his feet, as it were, in such agreeable company.

  † i.  To fall on shore: to run aground. Obs.

1590.  Marlowe, Edw. II., IV. vi.

  † To fall on sleep: see ASLEEP.

  65.  Fall through ——. To make a ‘mess’ of. Sc.

1825.  Jamieson, s.v. By her foolish airs, she’s fa’n through her marriage.

1826.  Hogg, Meg o’ Marley.

  66.  Fall to ——. † a. To be drawn by feeling to; to attach oneself to, become a follower of; also, to make one’s peace with. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15131 (Gött.). We se þe folk alle fall till him.

1557.  K. Arthur, I. xviii. To them fell kynge Ryence of North Wales.

1611.  Bible, 1 Chron. xii. 19. There fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came … against Saul to battle.

  † b.  To get upon (the scent); to get the scent of, track. Obs. rare.

c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1425. Þe howndez … fellen … fast to þe fuyt.

c. 1420.  Anturs of Arth., i.

  † c.  To agree with, accede to (a proposal, etc.).

1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. clxi. 195. I wold gladly fall to any reasonable way.

1548.  Hall, Chron., 214 b. The citiezens … fell to this pact.

1683.  Penn, in R. Burton, Eng. Emp. Amer., vii. He fell to the Bounds of the Land they had agreed to dispose of, and the Price.

  d.  To apply or betake oneself to; to have recourse to; to take to; to begin, proceed to. With sb., inf., or gerund. Also in Fall to it: set to work, bestir yourself.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 647.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 458. A wolfe … Quen he has faute of his flesch · he fallis to þe soile!

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 35 b. Fall to prayer and make thy peticyon to God.

a. 1568.  Ascham, Scholem., I. (Arb.), 32. Then will he sonest faul to beate his scholers.

1600.  E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 14. Growing to more yeeres, they fell to distrust him.

1610.  Shaks., Temp., I. i. 3. Speake to th’Mariners: fall too’t, yarely, or we run our selues a ground, bestirre, bestirre.

1644.  Slingsby, Diary (1836), 112. In Marston corn feilds [the Parliamentary army] falls to singing psalms.

1707.  Lond. Gaz., No, 4329/5. They fell to their Oars.

1727.  Swift, Lett. Eng. Tongue, 18. That Licentiousness which … fell to corrupt our Language.

1853.  Lytton, My Novel, IV. xi. 187. He fell to patting the mare with great unction.

1865.  Kingsley, Herew. (1866), I. x. 236. He was healed instantly, and fell to religion.

  e.  † To fall to (food): to begin eating (it). To fall to work: to begin working.

a. 1400.  Sir Perc., 1326. Als thay felle to thaire fude.

1551.  Crowley, Pleas. & Pain, 495. Fall nowe to worke for your lyueynge.

1699.  Dampier, Voy., II. I. 52. When this is done they fall to their Meat. I saw one of these Grave-Feasts.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. xiv. 243. He fell to work.

1817.  Cobbett, Taking Leave, col. 25. The Grazier then fell to work with his stick in such a style as I never before witnessed.

1861.  Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., iii. (1889), 22. The four fell to work upon the breakfast.

  67.  Fall under ——. † a. To throw oneself at the feet of. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor Mundi, 12475 (Gött.). Honurand him he fel him vnder.

  b.  To come or be classed under, be included in.

c. 1460.  Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon., vii. Riche furres, oþer than be wonned to fall vnder þe yerely charges off his warderober.

1818.  Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), II. 281. The present limitation to the trustees plainly does not fall under either of these heads.

c. 1865.  J. Wylde, in Circ. Sc., I. 5. Electrotyping and Gilding … fall under this section.

1870.  Max Müller, Introduction to the Science of Religion (1873), 357. All these are signs, more or less perfect, but being signs, they fall under the category of language.

  c.  To be brought under the operation or scope of, be subjected to.

1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 307. Them, that … passe ouer what soeuer falleth vnder their fingers.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iv. § 1. To speak unto such as do fall under or near unto a popular observation.

1654.  R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 222. Their modus operandi … doth not fall under Demonstration.

1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 44, 20 April, ¶ 5. Leads them into absurdities almost as ridiculous as that which falls under our present Censure.

1824.  Medwin, Convers. Byron (1832), II. 109. His ‘Revolt of Islam’ … fell under the lash of ‘the Quarterly.’

1839.  G. Bird, Nat. Phil., Introd., 35. All these several states of matter will fall under our observation in the investigation of the sciences of Statics, Dynamics, Hydrostatics, and Pneumatics.

  68.  Fall unto ——. = Fall to, in various senses.

1535.  Coverdale, 1 Chron. xii. 19. Of Manasses there fell certain vnto Dauid.

1587.  Turberv., Trag. T. (1837), 134.

1611.  Bible, 2 Kings vii. 4. Let vs fall vnto the host of the Syrians: if they saue vs aliue, we shall liue; and if they kill vs, we shall but die.

  69.  Fall upon ——. † a. = Fall on 64 a.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 15580 (Cott.).

  b.  = Fall on 64 b.

1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxxvi. 231. He [Kyng Edward] began to saill toward fraunce ayene, and manly and styfly fyll vpon Phelipp of valoys.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 148. Sir Edward and his hoste came vnto Kenelworth aforesayde, and fell sodeinly vpon the hoste of aforenamed Sir Simond, and with sheddyng of little blood tooke there prisoners.

1671.  Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1711), 132. The Commander seeing this began to fear, lest they might be fallen upon.

1698.  T. Froger, Voy., 33. This Bird commonly pearches upon some Tree, near the Banks of a River, waiting till the Fish swim even with the Surface of the Water, to fall upon them, and even swallow some that are a Foot long.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, XVI. ii. Here’s a highwayman, I believe, who wants to rob and murder me; for he hath fallen upon me with that stick there in his hand, when I wish I may be d—n’d if I gid un the least provocation.

1844.  H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, II. 106. Some of the principal Omras urged the Nizam to fall upon the Residency.

  transf. and fig.  1709.  Hearne, Collect., 13 April. The Dr. has two or three times fallen upon Gronovius, and us’d him very roughly. But he was provok’d to it by Gronovius’s first falling upon him.

1749.  Fielding, Tom Jones, XVI. iv. When I expected you would have commended me for all I have done, to be fallen upon in this manner.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, x. Kit … falling upon a great piece of bread and meat.

1857.  Livingstone, Trav., xv. 278. Manenko fell upon our friends from Masiko in a way that left no doubt on our minds but that she is a most accomplished scold.

  c.  = Fall on 64 c.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., IV. 137. At last we fell vpon a Dalmatian widdow, whose pittifull lookes … stroke my soule.

1747.  in Col. Rec. Pennsylv., V. 99. Some Method should be fall’n upon to prevent the Evils which threaten Us.

1777.  Pringle, Telescopes, 9. By the force of his … genius he fell upon this new property of light.

1837.  W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, II. 77. He … soon fell upon the track of Mr. Robert Campbell’s party, which had preceded him by a day.

1862.  Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., xiii. 189. Edward III. fell upon an expedient which gave very great satisfaction to all.

1874.  G. W. Dasent, Tales from Fjeld, 247. When he had walked a while, he fell upon an old wife.

  † d.  To begin upon, take up, set about. Obs.

1625.  Burges, Pers. Tithes, 2. My Purpose is not here to fall vpon that Question, (for I make no Question of it) Whether Tithes be perpetually due to the Ministers of the Gospell by Diuine Right.

1649.  Bp. Hall, Cases Consc., I. v. 43. Otherwise some Interloper may perhaps underhand fall upon the work at a lower rate, and undoe the first editor; whose industry, care and cost shall thus be recompenced with the ruine of himselfe and his posterity.

1701.  Swift, Contests Nobles & Com., iii. These Persons, entering the scene in the time of a full peace, fell violently upon advancing the Power of the People, by reducing into practice all those encroachments which they had been so many years gaining.

1741.  Wesley, Wks. (1872), I. 340. They immediately fell upon their favourite subject; on which when we had disputed two hours, and were just where we were at first, I begged we might exchange controversy for prayer. We did so, and then parted in much love, about two in the morning.

  e.  To come (casually) to, take up with, adopt, have recourse to.

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, 231. He that fals rashly upon his determinations, without weighing all due circumstances, cannot but offend.

1654.  H. L’Estrange, Chas. I. (1655), 130. His Majesty fell upon Davids design, but not upon Davids sin, of numbring the People.

1858.  Sears, Athan., III. v. 297. The church at Thessalonica, probably from a too literal interpretation of the language of Christ, had, in common with the first Christians, fallen upon the belief that he was soon to appear again in person, and wind up the affairs of this world.

  f.  Geom. Of a line, point, etc.: To have a place upon, cover, come exactly upon.

1570.  Billingsley, Euclid, I. viii. 18. The line FG may fall directly vpon the line DF, or it may so fall that it may make with the line DF an angle within the figure, or with out.

1840.  Lardner, Geom., 42. The vertex of the angle c′ must fall upon the vertex of the angle c.

  † g.  To come upon, become legally chargeable to (the parish). Obs.

1677.  Yarranton, Eng. Improv., 150. Consider that Bank-Granaries … will be the occasion of taking infinite poor people off the Parish, and prevent others falling upon the Parish.

  † h.  = Fall back upon.

1767.  S. Paterson, Another Traveller! I. 218. The truly active mind may be always picking up something; and failing of an inscription, may fall upon a derivative.

  † 70.  Fall with ——. To come upon in due course; to meet with. Chiefly Naut. To make (land). Obs.

1556.  W. Towrson, in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 112. The 12 of May we fell with the Isle of Lundy in the Channel of Bristoll. Ibid. (1599), II. I. 258. The land is very high that we fall withall.

1632.  Sir R. Le Grys, trans. Velleius Paterculus, I. 1. Teucer … falling with [adpulsus] Cyprus, did build, and by the name of his Countrie styled it, Salamina.

1646.  J. Brinsley, Araignm. Pres. Schism, I. Opening his Bible, he fell with that of the Psalmist.

1670–1.  Narborough, Jrnl., in Acc. Sev. Late Voy., I. (1711), 124. Expecting to fall with Indians, for I saw many Fires up in the Land. Ibid., 125. This Morning I went over to the North-shore, and there I fell with a fine Sandy Bay.

  71.  Fall within ——. To come within the influence, operation, or scope of; to be included in.

1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 228. To rake vp riches, is not to bee wealthy and worthy: for the inualuable mysteries, and secrete ornamentes of vertue, consist in iustice, and in integritie of life: not in metals and minerals, digged out of the bosome of the earth, but in those things that are apparant, that are manifest, that are obiect to the eye, and fall within the view of the sight, I meane in outward actions, and commendable behauiours.

1688.  Lett. conc. Present St. Italy, 92. This was indeed a matter that could fall within the Popes understanding.

1771.  Junius, Lett. xliv. 240. There may be instances … which do not fall within my own exceptions.

1806.  Med. Jrnl., XV. 561. This … work would not have fallen within the notice of our department, had it not been [etc.].

1845.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 23. A charge against the Bishop of Rouen, of such a nature as should fall within this penalty.

1884.  G. Denman, in Law Rep., 29. Chanc. Div., 466. Statements … made … so recklessly as to fall within the rule of fraud.

  XI.  With adverbs, forming the equivalent of compound vbs. in other langs.; e.g., to fall out = L. excĭdĕre, Ger. ausfallen.

  (The phrases fall foul, fall short, are for convenience placed here, notwithstanding some uncertainty in the grammatical character of the adjuncts: see FOUL, SHORT, adjs. and advbs.)

  72.  Fall aboard. a. See ABOARD 2 d.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 294. Men þat now dremen an accident wiþouten suget mai falle aborde wiþ þese foolis.

1769.  Falconer, Dict. Marine, s.v. Aboard, To fall Aboard of,… to strike or encounter another ship, when one or both are in motion; to be driven upon a ship by the force of the wind or current.

1791.  Hist., in Ann. Reg., 187. They fell aboard a Swedish line of battle ship.

  † b.  To make a beginning. Obs.

a. 1680.  Butler, Cat & Puss, Rem. (1759), I. 93. To lose no further Time, he fell aboard.

a. 1700.  B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew. Fall-a-bord, fall on and Eat heartily.

  73.  Fall about. a. See simple senses and ABOUT adv.

1874.  Lucy B. Walford, Mr. Smith, vii. (1876), 74. I wish you would not go falling about that way.

  † b.  To search around, cast about. Obs.

1632.  Rutherford, Lett., xxi. (1863). I. 86. The Lord intendeth to melt and try this land, and it is high time we were all upon our feet, and falling about to try what claim we haue to Christ.

  74.  Fall abreast of. See 36 and ABREAST 4.

1886.  Mrs. C. Praed, Miss Jacobsen, I. x. 205. The object of it … checked his horse and fell abreast of her.

  † 75.  Fall adown. See 1 and ADOWN A. 1.

1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 401.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 277. Þe stoon falliþ adoun of þe reynes toward þe bladdre bi þe weie of þe urine.

1513.  Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 1302. His gloues … shortly to grounde falled adowne.

  Fall afire. See 40 c and AFIRE.

  † 76.  Fall after. Of a dream: To come true.

c. 1400.  Rom. Rose, 13. To wene that dremes after falle.

  77.  Fall asleep. See 38 and ASLEEP 2, 3.

1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XXII. 5. Ich fel eft-sones a slepe.

1553.  T. Wilson, Rhet., II. 75/1. We … fall a slepe, when we should moste harken.

1662.  J. Davies, Voy. Ambass., 82. He saw a Woman got so drunk there, that coming out of the Tent she fell down, and fell asleep, naked as she was, in the street, in the day time.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe (1840), I. vi. 102. The fit wearing off, I fell asleep.

  Fall aslope. See 39 and ASLOPE.

  78.  Fall astern. See 36 and ASTERN 3.

1669.  Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., IV. 160. If you sail against a Current, if it be swifter than the Ship’s way, you fall a Stern.

1776.  Falconer, Dict. Marine., To Fall a-stern,… to be driven backwards; to retreat with the stern foremost: expressed of the motion of a ship either under sail or at anchor.

1833.  Marryat, P. Simple, I. The boat fell astern, leaving two Spaniards clinging to the side.

  79.  Fall away. a. See simple senses and AWAY.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 19691 (Cott.). Skales fell fra his eien a-wai.

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 179. If þou wolt kepe heeris þat þei schulen not falle awei.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. (1586), 39. Flowres … which falling away, leaveth behinde them little round knoppes.

1697.  Dampier, Voy. (1698), I. 112. The top of it is flat and even for about a mile; then it gradually falls away on each side with a gentle descent.

1862.  Tyndall, Mountaineer., ii. 14. Portions of snow had fallen away from the upper slope and partially choked the schrund, closing, however, its mouth only, and on this snow we were now to seek a footing.

1889.  A. C. Doyle, Micah Clarke, xxiii. 24. The breeze has fallen away to nothing, as you can see, and we may be some time in running down to our port.

  † b.  To cease to speak of a subject. Const. from.

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Troylus, III. 1257.

  c.  To withdraw one’s support, draw off, desert, revolt. Const. from, to.

1535.  Coverdale, 2 Chron. x. 19. Thus fell Israel awaie from the house of Dauid.

1611.  Bible, 2 Kings xxv. 11. Now the rest of the people that were left in the citie, and the fugitiues that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captaine of the guard cary away.

1889.  A. C. Doyle, Micah Clarke, xxxiii. 362. I am surprised, indeed, that you should have fallen away from that allegiance to which you did not only swear yourself, but did administer the oath to so many others.

  d.  With respect to religious belief or practice: To become a backslider; to apostatize (from).

1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. xiii. 84. Some fell sooner away, some latter from the soundness of Belief.

1611.  Bible, Luke viii. 13. These … for a while beleeue, and in time of temptation fall away.

1751.  Wesley, Wks. (1872), X. 285. I believe a saint may fall away; that one who is holy or righteous in the judgment of God himself may nevertheless so fall from God as to perish everlastingly.

1824.  Scott, Redgauntlet, xxi. ‘O Joshua … wilt thou thus fall away from the truth?’

1867.  Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1877), I. iv. 210. Large numbers of the Normans, under a chief named Thurmod, fell away from Christianity.

  † e.  To lose flesh or substance; to shrink. Obs.

1530.  Palsgr., 544/1. I fall awaye, I wax leane of flesshe … Je descharne.

a. 1680.  Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 446. He delights, like a fat overgrown Man, to see himself fall away.

1770.  Gray, Lett., Wks. 1884, III. 354. I saw Mrs. Jonathan, who is much fallen away, and was all in tears for the loss of her brother’s child.

  f.  To decay, pine away, perish, vanish.

1576.  A. Fleming, A Panoplie of Epistles, 223. All things that be in the worlde, are of that nature and disposition, that when they are at their ful ripenesse, then are they most fit to fall away and pearish.

1591.  Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., III. i. 193. Till bones and flesh and sinewes fall away.

1611.  Bible, 1 Macc. iv. 32. Make them to be of no courage, and cause the boldnesse of their strength to fall away, & let them quake at their destruction.