French word

défaillir

Pronunciation

IPA/defajiʁ/

Meaning

  • verbpass out

Example

Il a défailli en pleine réunion.

He passed out in the middle of the meeting.

Illustration for défaillir (pass out)

More examples

Je me suis senti sur le point de défaillir après le long voyage.

I felt on the verge of fainting after the long trip.

Core concept

Something loses its strength and falters suddenly, most literally a person who briefly faints.

Common phrases

  • être sur le point de défaillir

    be on the verge of fainting

  • défaillir de douleur

    faint from pain

Similar words

s'évanouir: Suddenly faint and fall.
perdre connaissance: Lose consciousness.
tomber dans les pommes: Informally, lose consciousness and collapse.

Definition in French

Tomber momentanément dans l'inconscience en raison d'un malaise ou d'une faiblesse physique.

Word origin

Défaillir is inherited through Old French desfaillir, a compound of des- and faillir, from the Latin verb fallere.

Usage tips

  • The verb also applies figuratively to a strength or capacity that gives way, as in le courage lui défaille.

Other meanings

  • collapseverb

Related words

Word lists with this word