fall-n; 10 Senses

Sense Number 1: the season of autumn

Commentary: FALL[+span][+temporal][+season][+autumn]

Examples:
Fall is the most beautiful time of year in New England.
The falls are usually cool and rainy there.
He is in the fall of his life. (metaphoric extension)

Mappings:
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 2: any physical descent due to gravity

Commentary: FALL[+action][+descent][+gravitational][+single/+multiple/+cyclical]

Examples:
Her grandmother has had several falls due to a loss of balance. (single person falling)
His fall from the second story window broke both legs.
The rise and fall of the tides occurs approximately twice each 24-hour period.. (cyclical fall)
We listened to the fall of rain on the roof of the cabin. (multiple things falling)
The sky diver experienced some moments of free fall before opening the parachute.
The couple enjoyed watching the fall of leaves around them in the park in early October.
That was about the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall, (literally came down, also sense 3, end of a regime)

Mappings:
PropBank: fall.01
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 2a

Sense Number 3: the loss of power, virtue, prestige, autonomy

Commentary: FALL[+state][+loss][+power/+virtue/+prestige/+influence/+sovereignty]

Examples:
It's a terrible old move about the decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
After his fall from power, the deposed dictator lived abroad in opulence.
The villain of the novel finally brings about the heroine's fall from virtue.
We read about the fall of Saigon.
This company's fall from grace was hastened more by its recent accounting scandals.

Mappings:
PropBank: fall.02
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 5, 6, 8

Sense Number 4: a measurable or quantitative decrease

Commentary: FALL[+quantity][+measure][+decrease]
NOTE: a quantitative decrease, -not- a qualitative loss (see Sense 3)

Examples:
There was a fall in the pressure of his pulmonary artery.
The market went into free fall today as sellers outnumbered buyers 20 to 1.
This recent fall in oil prices has helped calm concerns over rising inflation.
There was a significant fall in unemployment last quarter.

Mappings:
PropBank: fall.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 12

Sense Number 5: having a downward orientation

Commentary: FALL[+quality][+orientation][+downward][+droop/+declivity]
NOTE: refers to another noun in the sentence, the fall of X, or X's fall

Examples:
The seamstress adjusted the fall of the wedding gown's big skirt. (the manner of hanging)
He relished the fall of a sunbeam slanting down through the small window into his dark cell.
That melody has a dying fall. (the tones head downwards)

Mappings:
PropBank: NM
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 1d

Sense Number 6: an amassed substance, descended to a lower position

Commentary: FALL[+entity][+substance][+amassed][+dropped]
NOTE: refers to the actual stuff in the lowered position, -not- the manner of orientation (see Sense 5)
NOTE: the fall is not a quality of the noun, but refers to the amassed collection of the noun

Examples:
We decided to attempt climbing over the large rock fall at the base of the mountain.
There are several beautiful falls along the path. (waterfalls)

Mappings:
PropBank: NM
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 2b, 2c

Sense Number 7: the onset of night

Commentary: FALL[+event][+onset][+night]

Examples:
At night fall, the birds roost in the trees.
We must reach the cabin before the fall of dusk.

Mappings:
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 9

Sense Number 8: a position in wrestling with arms pinned to the floor

Commentary: FALL[+position][+wrestling][+shoulders][+pinned]

Examples:
The wrestler managed to twist his body sideways and avoid a fall.

Mappings:
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 10

Sense Number 9: a quantity of births, as of lambs

Commentary: FALL[+quantity][+count][+birth][+lamb]

Examples:
This spring we had a good fall of lambs.

Mappings:
PropBank: NM
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 2d2

Sense Number 10: a hanging or dangling component of something, e.g., clothing

Commentary: FALL[+entity][+component][+hanging][+garment/+hairpiece/+petal/+hair]

Examples:
That wide front flap on sailors' trousers is called a fall.
The go-go dancers wore white lipstick, vinyl boots and long falls of fake hair.
The falls of these irises are the petals that have turned down.
That breed of dog has a white fall of hair over its face.

Mappings:
PropBank: NM
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 3a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h