fallen
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.the form of 'fall' used with 'have' or 'has' to show an action is finished.
v.the past participle of the intransitive verb 'fall', used to form the perfect aspect or the passive voice.
Simple“The temperature has fallen quickly since the sun went down.”
In context“By the time the rescue team arrived, the heavy snow had already fallen for six hours, making the mountain paths impassable.”
PitfallThe leaves have fell from the trees. The leaves have fallen from the trees.Use 'fallen' with the helping verb 'have'; 'fell' is the simple past and stands alone.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.lying on the ground after dropping or being cut down.
adj.having dropped to the ground by gravity or force; often used of natural objects like trees or leaves.
Simple“We had to climb over a fallen tree to stay on the forest path.”
In context“The hikers navigated around several fallen branches that had been brought down by the previous night's gale.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.killed while fighting in a war.
adj.killed in a military conflict; used as a respectful way to refer to dead soldiers.
Simple“The town built a monument to remember the fallen soldiers.”
In context“Every November, the community gathers at the cenotaph to pay their respects to the fallen heroes of the Great War.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
adj.having lost a high position, respect, or moral goodness.
adj.having experienced a loss of status, reputation, or religious grace.
Simple“The book tells the story of a fallen leader trying to regain his power.”
In context“The poem explores the tragic perspective of a fallen angel cast out from paradise for his pride.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.people who have died in a war, usually called 'the fallen'.
n.a collective plural noun referring to those killed in a specific battle or war.
Simple“The nation stopped for two minutes of silence to honour the fallen.”
In context“The names of the fallen were inscribed in alphabetical order upon the marble walls of the memorial hall.”
UsageAlways used with the definite article 'the' as a collective noun.
Synonymscasualtiesthe dead
Usage fallen to the lowest · fallen ill · fallen over the last
Morphologically fall + -en.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.