fall noun
1 accident
ADJ. bad, nasty, terrible She took a bad fall while out riding. | accidental
VERB + FALL have, suffer, take The doctor says she's had a very nasty fall. | break, cushion Luckily a bush broke his fall. | survive The chances of surviving a fall under a train are almost nil.
PREP. in a/the ~ He was hurt in a fall at his home yesterday. | ~ from She broke her neck in a fall from a horse.
2 of snow/rocks
ADJ. heavy | light | fresh a fresh fall of snow | rock, snow (also snowfall)
PREP. ~ of covered by a light fall of volcanic ash
3 decrease
ADJ. big, dramatic, great, large, marked, massive, significant, substantial a big fall in house prices This triggered the recent dramatic falls on the Tokyo stock exchange. | modest, slight, small | steady | rapid, sharp, steep, sudden, swift | expected, projected a projected fall of 2% | unexpected | continuing, further | overall | catastrophic
VERB + FALL bring, cause, contribute to, lead to, trigger | see, suffer Share prices suffered a slight fall yesterday. | record, reveal, show The opinion polls show a significant fall in her popularity. | report Both companies reported a fall in profits in the first quarter of this year. | represent This figure represents a fall of 21% on the same period last year.
FALL + VERB occur The fall in age at first marriage occurred during the second half of the 18th century.
PREP. ~ in a large fall in share prices
4 defeat
VERB + FALL bring about, cause, contribute to, lead to the actions that led to his eventual fall from power
PREP. ~ from
PHRASES the rise and fall of sth a book charting the rise and fall of the Habsburg Empire