fell
B1Formal/Literary/Technical (as verb); Formal/Literary (as noun)
Definition
Meaning
To cut down or knock down (e.g., a tree or person)
To descend or drop sharply; the past tense of 'fall'; also, a barren hill or mountain
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a verb: Transitive action causing descent. As a noun: Hilly upland (chiefly UK/Northern). As past tense of 'fall': Intransitive descent.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Noun 'fell' (hill/upland) is primarily UK/Northern British. Verb 'fell' (to cut down) is used in both, but noun usage is rare in AmE.
Connotations
Verb often implies force, violence, or decisive action. Noun has rustic/geographical connotations.
Frequency
Past tense 'fell' (from 'fall') is high frequency. Transitive verb 'fell' is medium-low, more common in technical/logging contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NP ___ NP (He felled the tree)NP ___ (The tree fell)NP ___ AdjP (She fell silent)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “one fell swoop”
- “fell purpose”
- “fell blow”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Profits fell sharply last quarter.
Academic
The regime was felled by a popular uprising.
Everyday
He fell off his bike yesterday.
Technical
We need to fell these diseased pines before spring.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The storm felled several ancient oaks in the park.
- The boxer felled his opponent with a single blow.
American English
- Loggers will fell the marked trees next week.
- The champion felled the challenger in the third round.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He fell and hurt his knee.
- The apple fell from the tree.
- The temperature fell below zero overnight.
- She fell in love with the city.
- The government was felled by a vote of no confidence.
- Darkness fell quickly in the forest.
- The lumberjack skilfully felled the giant sequoia.
- In one fell swoop, the merger eliminated three departments.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FELL = Forcefully Earthward, Landing Low. Or: A woodcutter FELLs a tree so it will FALL.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEFEAT IS BEING FELLED (He felled his rival). CHANGE OF STATE IS FALLING (Night fell).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse transitive 'fell' (срубить, повалить) with intransitive past 'fell' (упал).
- Noun 'fell' (холм) is a false friend for Russian 'фелл' (fellow).
Common Mistakes
- *He was fell from the ladder. (Correct: He fell/had fallen/was felled.)
- Using 'fell' as present tense (Incorrect: *He fell the tree yesterday? No: He felled...).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'fell' as a transitive verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Fall' is present tense (to descend). 'Fell' is either the past tense of 'fall' (He fell) OR a different verb meaning 'to cut/knock down' (He felled a tree).
Yes, but it's regional. In UK/Northern England, a 'fell' is a barren hill or mountain (e.g., the Lake District fells). This is rare in American English.
It's an idiom meaning 'all at once' or 'with a single decisive action'. It originates from Shakespeare ('Macbeth') where 'fell' means 'fierce' or 'deadly'.
Felled. Example: 'The trees have been felled.' Do not confuse it with the past participle of 'fall', which is 'fallen'.