Failure

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241. Failure

  1. Army Bomb Plot attempted assassination of Hitler; his miraculous escape brought dreadful retaliation (1944). [Ger. Hist.: Van Doren, 500]
  2. Brown, Charlie comic strip character for whom losing is a way of life. [Comics: “Peanuts” in Horn, 542–543]
  3. Bunion Derby financially disastrous cross-country marathon. [Am. Hist.: Sann, 48–56]
  4. Carker, John broken-spirited man occupying subordinate position. [Br. Lit.: Dombey and Son ]
  5. Edsel much bruited automobile fails on market (1950s). [Am. Hist.: Flexner, 78]
  6. English, Julian contentious and unloved salesman; commits suicide in despair. [Am. Lit.: Appointment in Samarra ]
  7. Gunpowder Plot attempt to blow up the Parliament building; led to the execution of its leader, Guy Fawkes (1605). [Brit. Hist.: EB, IV: 70–71]
  8. Little Tramp Chaplin’s much-loved, much-imitated hapless, “I’m a failure” persona. [Am. Cinema: Griffith, 79]
  9. Loman, Willy traveling salesman who gradually comes to realize that his life has been a complete failure; commits suicide. [Am. Lit.: The Death of a Salesman, Payton, 397]
  10. Mighty Casey ignominiously strikes out in the clutch. [Am. Lit.: “Casey at the Bat” in Turkin, 642]
  11. Reardon, Edwin very promising writer who, after unsuccessful publication, returns to clerical job. [Br. Lit.: New Grub Street, Magill I, 647–649]
  12. Skid Row district of down-and-outs and bums. [Am. Usage: Brewer Dictionary, 1008]
  13. WIN buttons President Ford’s scheme to reduce inflation: for the American public to wear shields stating “WIN.” (Whip Inflation Now). [Am. Hist.: Misc.]
  14. World League “ingenious” creation of a third professional league that never materialized. [Am. Sports: Misc.]
  15. Yank steamship stoker vainly tries to climb the social ladder, then fails in attempt to avenge himself on society. [Am. Drama: O’Neill The Hairy Ape in Sobel, 339]
Allusions--Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary
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fail·ure / ˈfālyər/ • n. 1. lack of success: an economic policy that is doomed to failure. ∎  an unsuccessful person, enterprise, or thing: crop failures. ∎  lack of success in passing an examination or test. 2. the omission of expected or required action: their failure to comply with the basic rules. ∎  a lack or deficiency of a desirable quality: a failure of imagination. 3. the action or state of not functioning: symptoms of heart failure. ∎  the collapse of a business.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English
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failure An event or condition in which an entire computer system or some part of it is unable to perform one or more prescribed functions. The failure may be due to a random process causing the hardware to cease to function, in which case hardware maintenance is required. Failure may also be due to a systematic cause such as an unrevealed or uncorrected fault in hardware or software. The fault may be due to an error, i.e. a mistake, occurring during (for example) design, specification, or operation. Each fault built into the hardware or software may be later revealed through a variety of processes such as review, static analysis, testing, or failure during operation of the computer. The result of revealing the fault at any time is a failure event for the hardware or software. Whether the failure is significant depends on the consequences and the timing.

There is thus a relationship between failure, fault, and error. Note however that the terms are sometimes used synonymously. See also fault-tolerant system.

A Dictionary of Computing JOHN DAINTITH
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failure •Antakya •Britannia, lasagne •Katya • Vanya •Kenya, Mantegna, Sardegna, tenure •failure • Montagna •behaviour (US behavior), misbehaviour (US misbehavior), saviour (US savior) •seguidilla, tortilla •Monsignor •Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia •Tigrinya • De Falla • Vaisya •Lockyer • Bologna • sawyer • bowyer •alleluia, hallelujah •La Coruña •bunya, gunyah

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes
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failure The process by which a body under stress loses cohesion and divides into two or more parts, commonly by means of a brittle fracture.

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY