fell
fell (fel)
intransitive verb, transitive verb
fell (fel)
transitive verb
- to cause to fall; knock down to fell an opponent with a blow
- to cut down (a tree or trees)
- Sewing to turn over (the rough edge of a seam) and sew down flat on the underside
Etymology: ME fellen < OE fællan, fellan (< Gmc *falljan), caus. of feallan (< Gmc *fallan), fall
noun
- the trees cut down in one season
- Sewing a felled seam
fell (fel)
adjective
- fierce; terrible; cruel
- deadly: archaic except in the phrase at (or in) one fell swoop, with a single effort or action that is completely effective, devastating, etc.
Etymology: ME fel < OFr < ML fello: see felon
Related Forms:
- fellness fell′·ness noun
fell (fel)
noun
- an animal's hide or skin
- a thin membrane of connective tissue under the hide
Etymology: ME fel < OE, akin to Ger fell < IE base *pel-, skin, hide > film, L pellis, skin
fell (fel)
noun
- a rocky or barren hill
- a moor; down
Etymology: ME fel < Scand, as in ON fjall, mountain, akin to Ger fels, rock, cliff < IE base *pels- > MIr all, crag, Gr pella, stone
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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