English verb: fall back | |||
1. | fall back (motion) fall backwards and down | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | lean back, recline | ||
2. | fall back (motion) hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc. | ||
Synonyms | dawdle, fall behind, lag | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | follow | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | drag, drop back, drop behind, get behind, hang back, trail | ||
3. | fall back (motion) move back and away from | ||
Samples | The enemy fell back. | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s. Something is ----ing PP. Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, retire, retreat, withdraw | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | ebb, ebb away, ebb down, ebb off, ebb out | ||
4. | fall back (competition) retreat | ||
Synonyms | drop off, fall behind, lose, recede | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | regress, retrograde, retrogress | ||
Antonyms | gain ground, get ahead, make headway, pull ahead, win, gain, advance | ||
5. | fall back (social) have recourse to | ||
Samples | The government resorted to rationing meat. | ||
Synonyms | recur, resort | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | apply, employ, use, utilise, utilize | ||
6. | fall back (body) go back to bad behavior | ||
Samples | Those who recidivate are often minor criminals. | ||
Synonyms | lapse, recidivate, regress, relapse, retrogress | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | regress, retrovert, return, revert, turn back | ||