fall back
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see fall, back.
Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt
Không dùng theo nghĩa đen hoặc thành ngữ: xem fall, back
Machine-translated — suggest a fix
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
Meaning · English
To fail to fulfill a promise or purpose.
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “fall back” mean?
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see fall, back.
Is “fall back” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.