4 VERB If memories, feelings, or possibilities fade , they slowly become less intense or less strong. □ [V ] Sympathy for the rebels, the government claims, is beginning to fade. □ [V -ing] …fading memories of better days.
▸ fade out
1 PHRASAL VERB When something fades out , it slowly becomes less noticeable or less important until it disappears completely. □ [V P ] He thought her campaign would probably fade out soon in any case. [Also V P + of ]
2 PHRASAL VERB When light, an image, or a sound fades out , it disappears after gradually becoming weaker. □ [V P ] The new image faded in as the old image faded out. [Also V P + of ]
fae|cal /fiː k ə l/ in AM, use fecal ADJ Faecal means referring or relating to faeces. [FORMAL ] □ One of the ways the parasite spreads is through fecal matter.
fae|ces /fiː siːz/ in AM, use feces N‑UNCOUNT Faeces is the solid waste substance that people and animals get rid of from their body by passing it through the anus. [FORMAL ]
faff /fæ f/ (faffs , faffing , faffed )
▸ faff about or faff around PHRASAL VERB If you say that someone is faffing about or faffing around , you mean that they are doing things in a disorganized way and not achieving very much. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] It was annoying to watch them faffing around when a more direct response was required.
fag /fæ g/ (fags )
1 N‑COUNT A fag is a cigarette. [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT A fag is a homosexual. [mainly AM , INFORMAL , OFFENSIVE ]
fa g end (fag ends ) also fag-end
1 N‑COUNT A fag end is the last part of a cigarette, which people throw away when they have smoked the rest. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you refer to the fag end of something, you mean the last part of it, especially when you consider this part boring or unimportant. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ of ] He never had much confidence in his judgement at the fag-end of the working day.
fag|got /fæ gət/ (faggots ) N‑COUNT A faggot is a homosexual man. [AM , INFORMAL , OFFENSIVE ]
Fahr|en|heit /fæ rənha I t/ ADJ Fahrenheit is a scale for measuring temperature, in which water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees. It is represented by the symbol °F. □ By mid-morning, the temperature was already above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. ● N‑UNCOUNT Fahrenheit is also a noun. □ He was asked for the boiling point of water in Fahrenheit.
fail ◆◆◆ /fe I l/ (fails , failing , failed )
1 VERB If you fail to do something that you were trying to do, you are unable to do it or do not succeed in doing it. □ [V to-inf] The Workers' Party failed to win a single governorship. □ [V + in ] He failed in his attempt to take control of the company. □ [V ] Many of us have tried to lose weight and failed miserably. □ [V -ed] The truth is, I'm a failed comedy writer really.
2 VERB If an activity, attempt, or plan fails , it is not successful. □ [V ] We tried to develop plans for them to get along, which all failed miserably. □ [V ] He was afraid the revolution they had started would fail. □ [V -ed] Scotch-Irish emigration began with the failed harvest of 1717.
3 VERB If someone or something fails to do a particular thing that they should have done, they do not do it. [FORMAL ] □ [V to-inf] Some schools fail to set any homework. □ [V to-inf] The bomb failed to explode.
4 VERB If something fails , it stops working properly, or does not do what it is supposed to do. □ [V ] The lights mysteriously failed, and we stumbled around in complete darkness. □ [V ] In fact many food crops failed because of the drought.
5 VERB If a business, organization, or system fails , it becomes unable to continue in operation or in existence. [BUSINESS ] □ [V ] So far this year, 104 banks have failed. □ [V -ed] …a failed hotel business. □ [V -ing] Who wants to buy a computer from a failing company?
6 VERB If something such as your health or a physical quality is failing , it is becoming gradually weaker or less effective. □ [V ] He was 58, and his health was failing rapidly. □ [V -ing] An apparently failing memory is damaging for a national leader.
7 VERB If someone fails you, they do not do what you had expected or trusted them to do. □ [V n] …communities who feel that the political system has failed them.
8 VERB If someone fails in their duty or fails in their responsibilities, they do not do everything that they have a duty or a responsibility to do. □ [V + in ] If we did not report what was happening in the country, we would be failing in our duty.
9 VERB If a quality or ability that you have fails you, or if it fails , it is not good enough in a particular situation to enable you to do what you want to do. □ [V n] For once, the artist's fertile imagination failed him. □ [V ] Their courage failed a few steps short and they came running back.
10 VERB If someone fails a test, examination, or course, they perform badly in it and do not reach the standard that is required. □ [V n] I lived in fear of failing my end-of-term exams. ● N‑COUNT Fail is also a noun. □ It's the difference between a pass and a fail.