As a senior citizen was driving down the freeway, his car phone rang. Answering, he heard his wife"s voice urgently warning him, "Herman, I just heard on the news that there"s a car going the wrong way on 280. Please be careful!"
"Heck," said Herman, "It"s not just one car. It"s hundreds of them!"
- —v. (past fell; past part. Fallen) 1 go or come down freely; descend.
- (often foll. By over) come suddenly to the ground from loss of balance etc.
- a hang or slope down. B (foll. By into) (of a river etc.) Discharge into.
- a sink lower; decline, esp. In power, status, etc. B subside.
- occur (falls on a monday).
- (of the face) show dismay or disappointment.
- yield to temptation.
- take or have a particular direction or place (his eye fell on me; accent falls on the first syllable).
- a find a place; be naturally divisible. B (foll. By under, within) be classed among. 10 come by chance or duty (it fell to me to answer). 11 a pass into a specified condition (fell ill). B become (fall asleep). 12 be defeated or captured. 13 die. 14 (foll. By on, upon) a attack. B meet with. C embrace or embark on avidly. 15 (foll. By to + verbal noun) begin (fell to wondering). —n. - act of falling.
- that which falls or has fallen, e.g. Snow.
- recorded amount of rainfall etc.
- overthrow (fall of rome).
- a succumbing to temptation. B (the fall) adam's sin and its results.
- (also fall) us autumn.
- (esp. In pl.) Waterfall etc.
- wrestling-bout; throw in wrestling. fall about colloq. Be helpless with laughter. Fall away 1 (of a surface) incline abruptly.
- become few or thin; gradually vanish.
- desert. Fall back retreat. Fall back on have recourse to in difficulty. Fall behind 1 be outstripped; lag.
- be in arrears. Fall down (often foll. By on) colloq. Fail. Fall for colloq. Be captivated or deceived by. Fall foul of come into conflict with. Fall in 1 take one's place in military formation.
- collapse inwards. Fall in with 1 meet by chance.
- agree with.
- coincide with. Fall off 1 become detached.
- decrease, deteriorate. Fall out 1 quarrel.
- (of the hair, teeth, etc.) Become detached.
- mil. Come out of formation.
- result; occur. Fall over backwards see *backwards. Fall over oneself colloq. - be eager.
- stumble through haste, confusion, etc. Fall short be deficient. Fall short of fail to reach or obtain. Fall through fail; miscarry. Fall to begin, e.g. Eating or working. [old english]
