- faillir
- faillir [fajiʀ]intransitive verb• j'ai failli tomber I almost fell• sans faillir unfailingly► faillir à (formal) [+ mission, devoir] to fail in ; [+ promesse, parole] to fail to keep• il n'a pas failli à sa parole he was true to his word* * *fajiʀverbe intransitif1) gén
elle a failli mourir — she almost ou (very) nearly died
2) (manquer) litersans faillir — unfailingly
faillir à ses engagements — to fail in one's commitments
faillir à sa réputation — to fall short of one's reputation
ne pas faillir à la tradition — to live up to the tradition
* * *fajiʀ vi1)faillir faire (= manquer de) — to almost do, to nearly do
J'ai failli tomber. — I almost fell., I nearly fell.
J'ai failli lui dire. — I almost told him., I nearly told him.
2) soutenufaillir à qch (= ne pas être à la hauteur de) — to fall short of sth
faillir à sa tâche — to fall short of one's task
faillir à son devoir — to fall short of one's duty
* * *faillir verb table: assaillir vi1 (avec un infinitif) elle a failli mourir she almost ou (very) nearly died; j'ai failli le gifler I almost ou (very) nearly slapped him; ils ont failli rater l'avion they almost ou (very) nearly missed the plane; il a failli nous voir he almost ou (very) nearly saw us; il a failli gagner he almost ou (very) nearly won;2 liter une vieille recette qui n'a jamais failli an old recipe which has always been reliable; sans faillir unfailingly; faillir à ses obligations/engagements to fail in one's obligations/commitments; faillir à sa réputation to fall short of one's reputation; ne pas faillir à la tradition to live up to the tradition; le courage/la mémoire lui faillit his courage/memory failed him.[fajir] verbe intransitif1. [être sur le point de]j'ai failli rater la marche I nearly missed the steptu l'as attrapé? — non, mais j'ai failli! (familier) did you catch it? — not quite!j'ai failli attendre (humoristique) so you decided to come, did you?2. (littéraire) to fail in one's duty————————faillir à verbe plus préposition(soutenu)faillir à une promesse to fail to keep a promisefaillir à son devoir to fail in one's duty————————sans faillir locution adverbialeunfailingly
Dictionnaire Français-Anglais. 2013.