faillir
French → English
(auxiliary) To almost do: used with an infinitive to indicate that an action nearly occurred but did not.
Il a faillit tomber dans les escaliers à cause d'une marche cassée.
(English) He almost fell down the stairs because of a broken step.
J'ai failli rater mon train car mon réveil n'a pas sonné ce matin.
(English) I nearly missed my train because my alarm didn't go off this morning.
(formal) To fail: to be deficient in a duty, promise, or physical strength.
Le soldat a été puni pour avoir failli à son devoir pendant la garde.
(English) The soldier was punished for having failed in his duty during the watch.
Sa mémoire a commencé à lui faillir à mesure qu'il vieillissait.
(English) His memory began to fail him as he grew older.
Entry ID: fr:en:faillir · Source: refined · Type: vocabulary