fell
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20 ENTRIES FOUND:

3fell

Definition of FELL

past of fall

1fell

noun \ˈfel\

Definition of FELL

1
: skin, hide, pelt
2
: a thin tough membrane covering a carcass directly under the hide

Origin of FELL

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German fel skin, Latin pellis
First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Fur and Leather Terms

chamois, kip

2fell

transitive verb

Definition of FELL

1
a : to cut, knock, or bring down <fell a tree>
b : kill
2
: to sew (a seam) by folding one raw edge under the other and sewing flat on the wrong side
fell·able \ˈfe-lə-bəl\ adjective
fell·er noun

Examples of FELL

  1. using an ax to fell a tree
  2. He's strong enough to fell an ox.

Origin of FELL

Middle English, from Old English fellan; akin to Old English feallan to fall — more at fall
First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Handicraft Terms

biscuit, darn, tambour, wrought

4fell

adjective

Definition of FELL

1
a : fierce, cruel, terrible
b : sinister, malevolent <a fell purpose>
c : very destructive : deadly <a fell disease>
2
Scottish : sharp, pungent
fell·ness noun
fel·ly \ˈfel-lē\ adverb

Examples of FELL

  1. <planning in the event that the enemy resorted to biological warfare and released some fell virus on the civilian population>
  2. <Captain Cook died in a scuffle with some fell natives of the Hawaiian Islands.>

Origin of FELL

Middle English fel, from Anglo-French — more at felon
First Known Use: 14th century

5fell

noun

Definition of FELL

dialect British
: a high barren field or moor

Origin of FELL

Middle English, from Old Norse fell, fjall mountain; akin to Old High German felis rock
First Known Use: 14th century

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