failing

Noun · Adjective

Synonyms: weakness flunk

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

a flaw or weak point“he was quick to point out his wife's failings”Synonyms: weakness
failure to reach a minimum required performance“his failing the course led to his disqualification”“he got two flunks on his report”Synonyms: flunk

Adjective (1)

below acceptable in performance“received failing grades”

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Fail \Fail\, n. [OF. faille, from failir. See Fail, v. i.]

1.Miscarriage; failure; deficiency; fault; -- mostly superseded by failure or failing, except in the phrase without fail. "His highness' fail of issue." --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2.Death; decease. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Failing \Fail"ing\, n.

1.A failing short; a becoming deficient; failure; deficiency; imperfection; weakness; lapse; fault; infirmity; as, a mental failing. [1913 Webster]

And ever in her mind she cast about For that unnoticed failing in herself.— Tennyson.[1913 Webster]

2.The act of becoming insolvent of bankrupt.

Syn: See Fault. [1913 Webster]

Fail \Fail\ (f[=a]l) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Failed (f[=a]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Failing.] [F. failir, fr. L. fallere, falsum, to deceive, akin to E. fall. See Fail, and cf. Fallacy, False, Fault.]

1.To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence; to cease to be furnished in the usual or expected manner, or to be altogether cut off from supply; to be lacking; as, streams fail; crops fail. [1913 Webster]

As the waters fail from the sea.— Job xiv. 11.[1913 Webster]

Till Lionel's issue fails, his should not reign.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

2.To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; -- used with of. [1913 Webster]

If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not be attributed to their size.— Berke.[1913 Webster]

3.To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink. [1913 Webster]

When earnestly they seek Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

4.To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails. [1913 Webster]

5.To perish; to die; -- used of a person. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Had the king in his last sickness failed.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

6.To be found wanting with respect to an action or a duty to be performed, a result to be secured, etc.; to miss; not to fulfill expectation. [1913 Webster]

Take heed now that ye fail not to do this.— Ezra iv. 22.[1913 Webster]

Either my eyesight fails, or thou look'st pale.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

7.To come short of a result or object aimed at or desired; to be baffled or frusrated. [1913 Webster]

Our envious foe hath failed.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

8.To err in judgment; to be mistaken. [1913 Webster]

Which ofttimes may succeed, so as perhaps Shall grieve him, if I fail not.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

9.To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent; as, many credit unions failed in the late 1980's. [1913 Webster]