▪ I. failing, vbl. n.
(ˈfeɪlɪŋ)
[f. as prec. + -ing1.]
1. The action of the vb. fail, in various senses; an instance of this, a failure. † for, without (any) failing = for, without fail (see fail n.1).
| 1382 Wyclif Isa. v. 27 Ther is not failing ne trauailyng in hym. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vii. xxv. (1495) 241 Rotyd moysture comyth vp of the stomak..and therof comyth..fayllynge of teeth. c 1410 Sir Cleges 375 He thowght with hym to speke Wythout any faylynge. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 150 This..meltyng of the soule the prophet Dauid calleth a faylynge of the spiryte. 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iv. (1586) 185 b, [Of bees] There are sundry kinges bredde for failing. 1611 Bible Deut. xxviii. 65 The Lord shall giue thee..failing of eyes, & sorrow of minde. 1622 R. Hawkins Voy. S. Sea (1847) 127 The waight in the head and sterne by fayling of the water, began to open her plankes in the middest. 1671 J. Cosin Corr. 23 May, Your apprehension of my failing before the Great Chapter-day. 1727 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Bankruptcy, A failing, breaking or stopping of payment, diminishes the merchant's credit..When a merchant, etc., fails to appear at the exchange, etc., without apparent reason, it is called a failing of presence. |
2. A defect, fault, shortcoming, weakness.
| 1590 Sir J. Smyth Disc. Weapons 21 b, All which unreadynesses, and failings. 1612 Brinsley Lud. Lit. 179 My selfe to supplie their wants and faylings. 1651 Baxter Inf. Bapt. 94 Not aggravating failings, but hoping all things. 1770 Goldsm. Des. Vill. 164 E'en his failings lean'd to Virtue's side. 1843 Prescott Mexico vii. v. (1864) 459 His bigotry, the failing of the age. 1876 J. H. Newman Hist. Sk. I. ii. iv. 257 Want of firmness has been repeatedly mentioned as his [Cicero's] principal failing. |
▪ II. failing, ppl. a.
(ˈfeɪlɪŋ)
Also 4 failand, faylande, Sc. falȝeand.
[f. as prec. + -ing2.]
1. That fails, in the senses of the vb.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 28844 (Cott.) Failand frute comis o þat tan. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints, Andreas 961 Fore þis joy falȝeand þu Ay-lestand joy has chosine nov. 1435 Misyn Fire of Loue (E.E.T.S.) 9 Þingis transitory & faylynge. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 404 O..much failing, hapless Eve. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) II. xiv. 293 My never-failing old pilot..had a pistol. 1879 Froude Cæsar xiv. 204 Axes..of soft iron, fair to the eye and failing to the stroke. 1885 Law Times' Rep. LII. 648/2 Plowright was..in failing health. |
† 2. Astron. Of a planet: Remote from some fixed point. Obs.
| c 1391 Chaucer Astrol. ii. §4 If [a planet] passe the bondes of thise forseide spaces, a-boue or by-nethe..they sein þat the planete is failling fro the assendent. |
Hence ˈfailingly adv., ˈfailingness.
| 1631 Celestina iv. 49 That failingnesse of force and of strength. 1847 Craig, Failingly, by failing. 1880 M. Crommelin Black Abbey I. xii. 163 The poor Tom-boy..struggled, failingly, to join in Hector's ever-manlier pursuits. |
▪ III. failing, prep.
(ˈfeɪlɪŋ)
[The pr. pple. of fail v., used either with intrans. sense in concord with the following n. or pron. (failing this = ‘if this fail’), or in trans. sense with the n. etc. as object (failing this = ‘if one fail this’).]
In default of.
| 1810 H. T. Colebrooke 2 Treat. Hindu Law Inher. 225 In default of these, the heritage goes to the son of the..aunt. Or, failing him, it passes, etc. 1818 Wordsworth in Wks. 1876 I. 241 Many must have opportunities of knowing him; or failing that intimate knowledge, we require, etc. 1843 Carlyle Past & Pr. 92 Failing all else, what gossip about one another. 1859 G. W. Dasent Pop. Tales Norse Introd. p. xlv, By clinging..to some king or hero..or, failing that, to some squire's family. |