16 VERB If you say that someone's eyes fell on something, you mean they suddenly noticed it. [WRITTEN ] □ [V + on/upon ] As he laid the flowers on the table, his eye fell upon a note in Grace's handwriting.
17 VERB When night or darkness falls , night begins and it becomes dark. □ [V ] As darkness fell outside, they sat down to eat at long tables.
18 N‑PLURAL ; N‑COUNT You can refer to a waterfall as the falls . □ …panoramic views of the falls. □ …Niagara Falls.
19 N‑VAR Fall is the season between summer and winter when the weather becomes cooler and the leaves fall off the trees. [AM ] □ He was elected judge in the fall. □ The Supreme Court will not hear the case until next fall. □ The program was launched in the fall of 1990. □ The policy will take effect after the fall election. in BRIT, use autumn 20 → see also fallen
21 PHRASE To fall to pieces , or in British English to fall to bits , means the same as to fall apart . □ At that point the radio handset fell to pieces.
22 to fall on your feet → see foot
23 to fall foul of → see foul
24 to fall flat → see flat
25 to fall from grace → see grace
26 to fall into place → see place
27 to fall short → see short ➊
28 to fall into the trap → see trap
29 to fall by the wayside → see wayside
▸ fall apart
1 PHRASAL VERB If something falls apart , it breaks into pieces because it is old or badly made. □ [V P ] The work was never finished and bit by bit the building fell apart.
2 PHRASAL VERB If an organization or system falls apart , it becomes disorganized or unable to work effectively, or breaks up into its different parts. □ [V P ] Europe's monetary system is falling apart. □ [V P ] I've tried everything to stop our relationship falling apart.
3 PHRASAL VERB If you say that someone is falling apart , you mean that they are becoming emotionally disturbed and are unable to think calmly or to deal with the difficult or unpleasant situation that they are in. [INFORMAL ] □ [V P ] I was falling apart. I wasn't getting any sleep.
▸ fall away
1 PHRASAL VERB If something falls away from the thing it is attached to, it breaks off. □ [V P + from ] Officials say that one or two engines fell away from the plane shortly after takeoff. [Also V P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If you say that land falls away , you mean it slopes downwards from a particular point. □ [V P ] On either side of the tracks the ground fell away sharply.
3 PHRASAL VERB If the degree, amount, or size of something falls away , it decreases. □ [V P ] His coalition may hold a clear majority but this could quickly fall away.
▸ fall back
1 PHRASAL VERB If you fall back , you move backwards a short distance away from someone or something. □ [V P ] He fell back in embarrassment when he saw that Ross had no hair at all. □ [V P + from ] The congregation fell back from them slightly as they entered.
2 PHRASAL VERB If an army falls back during a battle or war, it withdraws. □ [V P ] The Prussian garrison at Charleroi was falling back.
▸ fall back on PHRASAL VERB If you fall back on something, you do it or use it after other things have failed. □ [V P P n] Unable to defeat him by logical discussion, she fell back on criticizing his speech. □ [V P P n] When necessary, instinct is the most reliable resource you can fall back on.
▸ fall behind
1 PHRASAL VERB If you fall behind , you do not make progress or move forward as fast as other people. □ [V P ] Evans had rheumatic fever, missed school and fell behind. □ [V P n] Boris is falling behind all the top players.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you fall behind with something or let it fall behind , you do not do it or produce it when you should, according to an agreement or schedule. □ [V P + with ] He faces losing his home after falling behind with the payments. □ [V P ] Thousands of people could die because the relief effort has fallen so far behind. □ [V P n] Construction work fell behind schedule.
▸ fall down
1 → see fall 2
2 PHRASAL VERB If an argument, organization, or person falls down on a particular point, they are weak or unsatisfactory on that point. □ [V P + on ] Service was outstandingly friendly and efficient, falling down on only one detail. □ [V P ] That is where his argument falls down.
▸ fall for
1 PHRASAL VERB If you fall for someone, you are strongly attracted to them and start loving them. □ [V P n] He was fantastically handsome–I just fell for him right away.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you fall for a lie or trick, you believe it or are deceived by it. □ [V P n] It was just a line to get you out here, and you fell for it!
▸ fall in PHRASAL VERB If a roof or ceiling falls in , it collapses and falls to the ground. □ [V P ] Part of my bedroom ceiling has fallen in.
▸ fall into PHRASAL VERB If you fall into conversation or a discussion with someone, usually someone you have just met, you start having a conversation or discussion with them. □ [V P n] Over breakfast at my motel, I fell into conversation with the owner of a hardware shop.