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.

To be wanting to ; to be insufficient for; to disappoint;
to desert.

To perish; to die; – used of a person.

To err in judgment; to be mistaken.

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.

To deteriorate in respect to vigor, activity, resources,
etc.; to become weaker; as, a sick man fails.

To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be
deficient or unprovided; – used with of.

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.

To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay;
to sink.

To come short of a result or object aimed at or desired ;
to be baffled or frusrated.