rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryfallDownward movement
verb / noun

fall

FAWL/fɔːl/

To move downward from a higher position.

The cup falls through the air after slipping off the table.

A ceramic cup slips off a table edge and descends through air, clear gravity and intact cup, no text.
Etymology
fallOld Englishto drop from a height

Old English feallan already meant dropping from a height. The selected meaning preserves that physical descent, with coming suddenly to the ground also an early use.

In context

My First Science Lab1:00
Some objects fall fast. Some objects fall slowly, but gravity is still pulling on them.
Why Do Things Fall? Gravity Explained for Kids

More examples

  • She bruised her knee in a fall down the stairs.
  • Gas prices fell again this week.
  • The capital fell after a long siege.
  • The memorial honors soldiers who fell in battle.

Forms

fall · falls · fell · fallen · falling

Similar words

drop
Often suggests a sudden fall or a short downward movement.
descend
Can describe controlled downward movement rather than an uncontrolled fall.
plunge
Emphasizes falling suddenly and steeply, often a considerable distance.