fell

Everyday

1. (past of fall) Dropped down or came down: I fell off my bike. tree →
2. (verb) To cut down a tree, or knock someone down: They felled the old oak. tree →
3. (noun, UK) A hill or high moor in the north of England: the Lake District fells. tree →
4. (adjective, old or poetry) Cruel or terrible: «at one fell swoop» = all at once. tree →

In the lessons

In stories «fell» is often the past of «fall»: someone fell asleep, fell ill, prices fell; in maths «the temperature fell by 5 degrees» means it went down — subtract. Phrases: «fell asleep», «fell over», «fell in love», «fell ill», «at one fell swoop».

Examples

• I fell over and hurt my knee. tree →
• The baby fell asleep in the car. tree →
• The temperature fell from 12 °C to 4 °C, a fall of 8 degrees. tree →
• Leaves fell from the trees in autumn. tree →
• The workers felled three tall trees. tree →
• We walked up the fell to see the lake. tree →
• She fell in love with the puppy. tree →
• This lasted for a while, and then they came upon the fells. tree →

Note

Trap: «fell» is the past of «fall» (fall, fell, fallen), but «fell» is also its own verb «to cut down» with past «felled». Do not write «falled». In maths, «fell by» = decrease (subtract); «fell to» = the new value.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means cut down trees, or past tense of fall.

Interpretation. Isaiah pictures the trees rejoicing that no one comes to cut them down after a tyrant falls.

Examples

• Yea, the cypresses rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon: 'Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.' (Prophets ISA.14.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said: 'Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.' (Prophets 2KI.6.5, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Trap: «fell» is the past of «fall» (fall, fell, fallen), but «fell» is also its own verb «to cut down» with past «felled». Do not write «falled». In maths, «fell by» = decrease (subtract); «fell to» = the new value.