fail-v; 3 Senses

Sense Number 1: fall short of a goal, not succeed, cause to not succeed

Commentary: Syntax

Examples:
Why is the public school system failing?
Her confidence failed her at the audition and she didn't get the job.
Try as I would, I failed to understand the poetry of Ezra Pound.
That math professor failed his whole class.
John never studied the material and so he failed the class.
She failed to be a good daughter to him.

Mappings:
VerbNet: succeed-74-2
FrameNet: Success_or_failure,Successful_action
PropBank: fail.01,fail.02
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8

Sense Number 2: give out, stop functioning

Commentary: Syntax Is: NP1 FAIL[intransitive] (PP)

Examples:
The engines failed during take-off.
Three banks failed in our state last month.
The water supply for the town failed after a long drought.
Her grandfather's health is failing.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 4, 9, 10, 11

Sense Number 3: neglect,leave undone

Commentary:
NOTE: Implies the agent was not aware of the action that needed attention

Examples:
She failed to turn the heat down while stirring the pudding.
I failed to leave the key under the mat for the cleaning lady.

Mappings:
VerbNet: neglect-75-1-1
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1