n.

1. the season when the leaves fall from the trees;
   autumn
   
   • in the fall of 1973
2. a sudden drop from an upright position;
   spill, tumble
   
   • he had a nasty spill on the ice
3. the lapse of mankind into sinfulness because of the sin of Adam and Eve;
   Fall
   
   • women have been blamed ever since the Fall
4. a downward slope or bend;
   descent, declivity, decline, declination, declension, downslope
5. a lapse into sin; a loss of innocence or of chastity
   
   • a fall from virtue
6. a sudden decline in strength or number or importance;
   downfall
   
   • the fall of the House of Hapsburg
7. a movement downward
   
   • the rise and fall of the tides
8. the act of surrendering (under agreed conditions);
   capitulation, surrender
   
   • they were protected until the capitulation of the fort
9. the time of day immediately following sunset;
   twilight, dusk, gloaming, gloam, nightfall, evenfall, crepuscule, crepuscle
   
   • he loved the twilight
   • they finished before the fall of night
10. when a wrestler's shoulders are forced to the mat;
    pin
11. a free and rapid descent by the force of gravity;
    drop
    
    • it was a miracle that he survived the drop from that height
12. a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity;
    drop, dip, free fall
    
    • a drop of 57 points on the Dow Jones index
    • there was a drop in pressure in the pulmonary artery
    • a dip in prices
    • when that became known the price of their stock went into free fall

v.

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