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1

fell

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noun \ˈfel\

Definition of fell

  1. 1 :  skin, hide, pelt

  2. 2 :  a thin tough membrane covering a carcass directly under the hide

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Origin and Etymology 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

2

fell

verb

Definition of fell

  1. transitive verb

  2. 1a :  to cut, knock, or bring down fell a treeb :  kill Her father was felled by a heart attack.

  3. 2 :  to sew (a seam) by folding one raw edge under the other and sewing flat on the wrong side

fellable

play \ˈfe-lə-bəl\ adjective

feller

noun

See fell defined for English-language learners

See fell defined for kids

Examples of fell in a Sentence

  1. using an ax to fell a tree

  2. He's strong enough to fell an ox.

Origin and Etymology of fell

Middle English, from Old English fellan; akin to Old English feallan to fall — more at fall


First Known Use: before 12th century

fell Synonyms

Synonyms
bowl (down or over), down, drop, floor, knock down, knock over, level, mow (down), prostrate
Antonyms
animate
Related Words
kayo, knock out, KO; overthrow, throw down, topple; bang, bash, belt, bludgeon, clobber, hammer, hit, jab, paste, poke, pound, punch, slam, slap, slog, slug, smack, smite, sock, swat, swipe, thump, thwack, wallop, whack, whale
Near Antonyms
raise, restore, resurrect, resuscitate, revive; nurture

Other Handicraft Terms

biscuit, darn, tambour, wrought

3

fell

Definition of fell

  1. past tense of fall

4

fell

adjective

Definition of fell

  1. 1a :  fierce, cruel, terribleb :  sinister, malevolent a fell purposec :  very destructive :  deadly a fell disease

  2. 2 Scotland :  sharp, pungent

fellness

noun

felly

play \ˈfel-lē\ adverb

See fell defined for English-language learners

Examples of fell in a Sentence

  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 and Etymology of fell

Middle English fel, from Anglo-French — more at felon


First Known Use: 14th century

fell Synonyms

Synonyms
baleful, deathly, fatal, deadly, killer, lethal, mortal, murderous, pestilent, terminal, vital
Antonyms
healthful, healthy, nonfatal, nonlethal, wholesome
Related Words
baneful, deleterious, destructive, harmful, injurious, noxious, pernicious, truculent; infectious, infective, pestilential, poisonous, sublethal, toxic, virulent; dangerous, grave, grievous, hazardous, jeopardizing, menacing, parlous, perilous, risky, serious, threatening, ugly, unhealthy, unsound; bloody, internecine, sanguinary, sanguine
Near Antonyms
beneficial, restorative, salubrious, salutary; alleviative, corrective, curative, remedial, tonic; advantageous, beneficial, useful; nonpoisonous, nontoxic, safe
5

fell

noun

Definition of fell

dialectal British

  1. :  a high barren field or moor

Origin and Etymology of fell

Middle English, from Old Norse fell, fjall mountain; akin to Old High German felis rock


First Known Use: 14th century

FELL Defined for English Language Learners

fell

verb

Definition of fell for English Language Learners

  • : to cut down (a tree)

  • : to beat or knock down (someone or something)

fell

adjective

Definition of fell for English Language Learners

  • : very fierce or cruel

FELL Defined for Kids

1

fell

play
verb \ˈfel\

Definition of fell for Students

felled

;

felling

  1. :  to cut or knock down I felled a tree.

2

fell

play

Definition of fell for Students

  1. past of fall

Learn More about fell

  1. See words that rhyme with fell Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fell Spanish Central: Translation of fell Nglish: Translation of fell for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of fell for Arabic speakers

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Examples: fell in a Sentence