11 VERB If someone fails you in a test, examination, or course, they judge that you have not reached a high enough standard in it. □ [V n] …the two men who had failed him during his first year of law school.
12 PHRASE You say if all else fails to suggest what could be done in a certain situation if all the other things you have tried are unsuccessful. □ If all else fails, I could always drive a truck.
13 PHRASE You use without fail to emphasize that something always happens. [EMPHASIS ] □ He attended every meeting without fail.
14 PHRASE You use without fail to emphasize an order or a promise. [EMPHASIS ] □ On the 30th you must without fail hand in some money for Alex.
fail|ing /fe I l I ŋ/ (failings )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl, oft with poss] The failings of someone or something are their faults or unsatisfactory features. □ Like many in Russia, she blamed the country's failings on futile attempts to catch up with the West.
2 PHRASE You say failing that to introduce an alternative, in case what you have just said is not possible. □ Find someone who will let you talk things through, or failing that, write down your thoughts.
fai l-safe also failsafe ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is fail-safe is designed or made in such a way that nothing dangerous can happen if a part of it goes wrong. □ There was a fail-safe mechanism in place to override the controls in case of a malfunction.
fail|ure ◆◆◇ /fe I ljə r / (failures )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Failure is a lack of success in doing or achieving something, especially in relation to a particular activity. □ This policy is doomed to failure. □ Three attempts on the British 200-metre record also ended in failure. □ …feelings of failure.
2 N‑COUNT If something is a failure , it is not a success. □ The marriage was a failure and they both wanted to be free of it. □ His six-year transition programme has by no means been a complete failure.
3 N‑COUNT If you say that someone is a failure , you mean that they have not succeeded in a particular activity, or that they are unsuccessful at everything they do. □ Elgar received many honors and much acclaim and yet he often considered himself a failure.
4 N‑UNCOUNT [N to-inf, oft poss N ] Your failure to do a particular thing is the fact that you do not do it, even though you were expected to do it. □ …their failure to get the product mix right.
5 N‑VAR [oft n N ] If there is a failure of something, for example a machine or part of the body, it goes wrong and stops working or developing properly. □ There were also several accidents mainly caused by engine failures on take-off. □ He was being treated for kidney failure.
6 N‑VAR If there is a failure of a business or bank, it is no longer able to continue operating. [BUSINESS ] □ Business failures rose 16% last month. COLLOCATIONS failure NOUN
2
adjective + failure : abject, catastrophic, heroic, systemic; complete, total
3
adjective + failure : complete, total
5
noun + failure : heart, kidney, liver, organ; engine, system
adjective + failure : renal, respiratory; mechanical
verb + failure : cause; suffer
faint /fe I nt/ (fainter , faintest , faints , fainting , fainted )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] A faint sound, colour, mark, feeling, or quality has very little strength or intensity. □ He became aware of the soft, faint sounds of water dripping. □ He could see faint lines in her face. □ There was still the faint hope deep within him that she might never need to know. ● faint|ly ADV [usu ADV after v, oft ADV adj] □ He was already asleep in the bed, which smelled faintly of mildew. □ She felt faintly ridiculous.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A faint attempt at something is one that is made without proper effort and with little enthusiasm. □ Caroline made a faint attempt at a laugh. □ A faint smile crossed the Monsignor's face and faded quickly. ● faint|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ John smiled faintly and shook his head.
3 VERB If you faint , you lose consciousness for a short time, especially because you are hungry, or because of pain, heat, or shock. □ [V ] She suddenly fell forward on to the table and fainted. □ [V ] I thought he'd faint when I kissed him. ● N‑COUNT [oft in a N ] Faint is also a noun. □ She slumped to the ground in a faint.
4 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Someone who is faint feels weak and unsteady as if they are about to lose consciousness. □ Other signs of angina are nausea, sweating, feeling faint and shortness of breath.
faint|est /fe I nt I st/ ADJ [ADJ n, with neg] You can use faintest for emphasis in negative statements. For example, if you say that someone hasn't the faintest idea what to do, you are emphasizing that they do not know what to do. [EMPHASIS ] □ I haven't the faintest idea how to care for a snake.
fai nt-hea rted also fainthearted
1 ADJ If you describe someone or their behaviour as faint-hearted , you mean that they are not very confident and do not take strong action because they are afraid of failing. □ This is no time to be faint-hearted.
2 PHRASE If you say that something is not for the faint-hearted , you mean that it is an extreme or very unusual example of its kind, and is not suitable for people who like only safe and familiar things. □ It's a film about a serial killer and not for the faint-hearted.