noun
- an act or instance of failing or proving unsuccessful; lack of success: His effort ended in failure. The campaign was a failure.
- nonperformance of something due, required, or expected: a failure to do what one has promised; a failure to appear.
- a subnormal quantity or quality; an insufficiency: the failure of crops.
- deterioration or decay, especially of vigor, strength, etc.: The failure of her health made retirement necessary.
- a condition of being bankrupt by reason of insolvency.
- a becoming insolvent or bankrupt: the failure of a bank.
- a person or thing that proves unsuccessful: He is a failure in his career. The cake is a failure.
noun
- the act or an instance of failing
- a person or thing that is unsuccessful or disappointingthe evening was a failure
- nonperformance of something required or expectedfailure to attend will be punished
- cessation of normal operation; breakdowna power failure
- an insufficiency or shortagea crop failure
- a decline or loss, as in health or strength
- the fact of not reaching the required standard in an examination, test, course, etc
- the act or process of becoming bankrupt or the state of being bankrupt
1640s, failer, from Anglo-French failer, from Old French falir (see fail (v.)). The verb in Anglo-French used as a noun; ending altered 17c. to conform with words in -ure.
n.
- The inability to function or perform satisfactorily.