falling Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
    fall.
    • The branch fell from the tree
    • The unfortunate hiker fell into a crevasse
  2. verb move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
    go down; descend; come down; fall.
    • The temperature is going down
    • The barometer is falling
    • The curtain fell on the diva
    • Her hand went up and then fell again
  3. verb pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind
    fall.
    • fall into a trap
    • She fell ill
    • They fell out of favor
    • Fall in love
    • fall asleep
    • fall prey to an imposter
    • fall into a strange way of thinking
    • she fell to pieces after she lost her work
  4. verb come under, be classified or included
    come; fall.
    • fall into a category
    • This comes under a new heading
  5. verb fall from clouds
    precipitate; come down; fall.
    • rain, snow and sleet were falling
    • Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum
  6. verb suffer defeat, failure, or ruin
    fall.
    • We must stand or fall
    • fall by the wayside
  7. verb die, as in battle or in a hunt
    fall.
    • Many soldiers fell at Verdun
    • Several deer have fallen to the same gun
    • The shooting victim fell dead
  8. verb touch or seem as if touching visually or audibly
    shine; strike; fall.
    • Light fell on her face
    • The sun shone on the fields
    • The light struck the golden necklace
    • A strange sound struck my ears
  9. verb be captured
    fall.
    • The cities fell to the enemy
  10. verb occur at a specified time or place
    fall.
    • Christmas falls on a Monday this year
    • The accent falls on the first syllable
  11. verb decrease in size, extent, or range
    diminish; fall; decrease; lessen.
    • The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester
    • The cabin pressure fell dramatically
    • her weight fell to under a hundred pounds
    • his voice fell to a whisper
  12. verb yield to temptation or sin
    fall.
    • Adam and Eve fell
  13. verb lose office or power
    fall.
    • The government fell overnight
    • The Qing Dynasty fell with Sun Yat-sen
  14. verb to be given by assignment or distribution
    fall.
    • The most difficult task fell on the youngest member of the team
    • The onus fell on us
    • The pressure to succeed fell on the youngest student
  15. verb move in a specified direction
    fall.
    • The line of men fall forward
  16. verb be due
    fall.
    • payments fall on the 1st of the month
  17. verb lose one's chastity
    fall.
    • a fallen woman
  18. verb to be given by right or inheritance
    fall.
    • The estate fell to the oldest daughter
  19. verb come into the possession of
    fall; accrue.
    • The house accrued to the oldest son
  20. verb fall to somebody by assignment or lot
    light; fall.
    • The task fell to me
    • It fell to me to notify the parents of the victims
  21. verb be inherited by
    devolve; pass; return; fall.
    • The estate fell to my sister
    • The land returned to the family
    • The estate devolved to an heir that everybody had assumed to be dead
  22. verb slope downward
    fall.
    • The hills around here fall towards the ocean
  23. verb lose an upright position suddenly
    fall down; fall.
    • The vase fell over and the water spilled onto the table
    • Her hair fell across her forehead
  24. verb drop oneself to a lower or less erect position
    fall.
    • She fell back in her chair
    • He fell to his knees
  25. verb fall or flow in a certain way
    flow; hang; fall.
    • This dress hangs well
    • Her long black hair flowed down her back
  26. verb assume a disappointed or sad expression
    fall.
    • Her face fell when she heard that she would be laid off
    • his crest fell
  27. verb be cast down
    fall.
    • his eyes fell
  28. verb come out; issue
    fall.
    • silly phrases fell from her mouth
  29. verb be born, used chiefly of lambs
    fall.
    • The lambs fell in the afternoon
  30. verb begin vigorously
    fall.
    • The prisoners fell to work right away
  31. verb go as if by falling
    fall.
    • Grief fell from our hearts
  32. verb come as if by falling
    settle; descend; fall.
    • Night fell
    • Silence fell
  33. adjective satellite decreasing in amount or degree
    • falling temperature
  34. adjective becoming lower or less in degree or value
    • a falling market
    • falling incomes
  35. adjective satellite coming down freely under the influence of gravity
    dropping.
    • the eerie whistle of dropping bombs
    • falling rain

WordNet


Fall"ing adjective & noun
Definitions
  1. from Fall, v. i.

Webster 1913