frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

usinesses fail every week.
failing n. 1 weakness, shortcoming, foible, flaw, fault, defect, weak
spot, blind spot, blemish, imperfection: Bigotry and prejudice
are her most serious failings.
--prep. 2 lacking, wanting, in default of, without, sans, in
the absence of: Failing a favourable decision, we shall lodge
an appeal.
failure n. 1 failing, default, non-performance, remissness; neglect,
omission, dereliction, deficiency: His failure to do his duty
resulted in a court martial. 2 breakdown, collapse,
discontinuance, miscarriage, loss; decline, decay,
deterioration: Power disruptions are caused by the failure of
the national grid. 3 loser, non-starter, incompetent, also-ran,
nonentity, Colloq flop, fizzle, damp squib, dud, lemon, washout,
dead duck, US lead balloon: He was an utter failure as a
violinist. 4 bankruptcy, ruin, insolvency, downfall, crash,
Colloq folding: Bank failures increased owing to bad loans and
other poor investments.
faint adj. 1 dim, dull, pale, faded, indistinct, vague, hazy,
imperceptible, indiscernible, unclear, blurred, blurry, muzzy,
wavering, faltering, ill-defined, weak, feeble, flickering,
subdued; low, soft, slight, hushed, muffled, muted, inaudible,
stifled: A faint light burned in the corridor. I heard a faint
noise. 2 dizzy, light-headed, unsteady, vertiginous, giddy,
Colloq woozy: I felt faint after climbing the stairs.
--v. 3 black out, pass out, lose consciousness, swoon, drop,
collapse, Colloq keel over: She fainted when they told her the
news.
--n. 4 loss of consciousness, blackout, unconsciousness,
collapse, swoon, Medicine syncope: He dropped in a dead faint.
faint-hearted
adj. 1 cowardly, timorous, afraid, frightened, scared, faint,
lily-livered, white-livered, pusillanimous; timid, shy,
diffident; Colloq yellow(-bellied), chicken-hearted,
chicken-livered, chicken: He's too faint-hearted to ask her to
marry him. 2 irresolute, weak, ineffectual, feeble, puny,