downfall

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A precipitous decline in fortune; death or rapid deterioration, as in status or wealth.

   Many economic and political reasons led to the downfall of the Roman Empire.

2. 2
   noun

   The cause of such a fall; a critical blow or error.

   Orson Scott Card It is the downfall of evil, that it never sees far enough ahead.

3. 3
   noun

   An act of falling down.

   a downfall of rain

4. 4
   verb

   To fall down; deteriorate; decline.

   [...] wants to make civilization his subject, he will have a hard time proceeding with the sentence unless collapse is in his active vocabulary, for he cannot say "our civilization will downfall" or "fall down."

5. 5
   noun

   failure that results in a loss of position or reputation

6. 6
   noun

   a sudden decline in strength or number or importance

7. 7
   noun

   the falling to earth of any form of water (rain or snow or hail or sleet or mist)

Etymology

From down- + fall. In this spelling, from 16th century; spelled as two words from 13th century.