fall on
B1/B2Neutral to formal; slightly more formal in the 'responsibility' sense.
Definition
Meaning
To be the responsibility of someone; to be done or handled by someone. Also, to attack or start fighting with someone suddenly.
Can also mean for a duty, obligation, or job to rest with a particular person or group. Figuratively, to eagerly begin consuming or using something. When used as 'fall on someone,' can mean to attack, assail, or pounce.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The phrasal verb is highly polysemous. The 'responsibility' sense is often used in passive-like constructions (e.g., 'It fell on me...'). The 'attack' sense is more literary or journalistic. The 'begin consuming' sense is idiomatic (e.g., 'They fell on the food').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. The 'responsibility' sense may be slightly more frequent in British formal contexts.
Connotations
Generally neutral. The 'attack' sense can be vivid and dramatic.
Frequency
Moderately common in both varieties, more frequent in written than spoken English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Someone] falls on [someone/something].[Something] falls on [someone].It falls on [someone] to [do something].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fall on deaf ears”
- “fall on one's feet”
- “fall on hard times”
- “fall on one's sword”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The task of announcing the redundancies fell on the junior manager.
Academic
The burden of proof in this argument falls on the proponent of the theory.
Everyday
It always falls on me to take out the bins.
Technical
The responsibility for system maintenance falls on the network administrator.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The duty of making tea falls on the newest recruit.
- The lion fell on its prey.
American English
- The job of cleaning up fell on the interns.
- Critics fell on the author's latest book.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My birthday falls on a Saturday this year.
- Don't let your toys fall on the floor.
- It fell on me to tell her the bad news.
- The children fell on the cupcakes as soon as they arrived.
- The full cost of the repairs will fall on the landlord.
- His impassioned plea fell on deaf ears.
- The onus falls on the prosecution to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
- The marauding army fell on the undefended village at dawn.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a heavy cloak FALLING ON someone's shoulders – a burden or responsibility has just FALLEN ON them.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESPONSIBILITY IS A BURDEN/WEIGHT THAT FALLS ONTO SOMEONE. ATTACK IS A SUDDEN DESCENT.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with the literal 'падать на'. The key is the idiomatic meaning of assignment/attack.
- The phrase 'fall on deaf ears' does not mean to ignore, but to be ignored ('His advice fell on deaf ears' = его совет проигнорировали).
- Translating 'it fell on me' as 'это упало на меня' is a direct calque error. Use 'это легло на мои плечи' or 'это стало моей задачей'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: *'The choice falls on we.' Correct: 'The choice falls on us.'
- Incorrect: *'It fall on me to organise it.' Correct: 'It falls on me to organise it.'
- Overusing the literal 'fall on the floor' as an example of the phrasal verb.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The company fell on hard times,' what does 'fell on' most closely mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. You cannot say 'fall it on' or 'fall on it the responsibility.'
They are very similar in the 'responsibility' sense ('It falls on/to me'). 'Fall to' can sound slightly more literary or old-fashioned. 'Fall on' has the stronger 'attack' meaning which 'fall to' lacks.
Rarely in the 'responsibility' sense, as it implies a burden. However, 'fall on one's feet' is a positive idiom meaning to be lucky in a difficult situation. 'They fell on the food' suggests eager enjoyment.
It is neutral to formal. Common in professional and written contexts. In very casual speech, people might say 'It's my job' or 'It's up to me' instead.