Failing

分析词义

“a failing grade” 指不及格分数；“failing health” 指健康状况恶化。名词复数 failings 指性格或系统的缺陷，如 “Despite his failings, he was loyal.” 现在分词 “The engine is failing” 表示正在失灵。

列举例句

“The failing business closed after ten years.” (这家经营不善的店十年后倒闭了。)
“Honesty was her only serious failing.” (诚实是她唯一严重的缺点。)
“Rain kept failing to arrive during the drought.” (干旱期间雨一直没能下下来。)

词根分析

“Fail” 来自古法语 faillir，源于拉丁语 fallere（欺骗、使失望），与 fall（跌倒）有遥远关联，现代义聚焦“未达标准”。

词缀分析

fail + -ing：可作形容词、名词或动名词；名词 failure（失败）。

文化背景

教育 “failing schools” 引发政策讨论；医学 “failing organs” 指器官功能衰竭；自我帮助文本常谈 “accept your failings”。

单词变形

固定搭配: “failing grade” (不及格), “failing health” (健康恶化), “without fail” (必定，与 fail 短语相关)

记忆辅助

fail 是失败，-ing 可指“正在失败的过程”或“导致失败的弱点”。

助记故事

“With failing eyesight, he still read the newspaper every morning.” (视力衰退，他仍每天早晨读报。)