have a fall
English
[edit]Verb
[edit]have a fall (third-person singular simple present has a fall, present participle having a fall, simple past and past participle had a fall)
- (intransitive, typically of elderly or infirm people) To fall over.
Usage notes
[edit]- The phrase have a fall, as opposed to fall over or fall down, is typically reserved for older people for whom a fall is more likely to be a medical emergency. However, it may be considered patronizing.[1][2]
References
[edit]- ^ Zoe Williams (14 June 2022), “The young fall over, older people ‘have a fall’ – and my stepmother is none too happy about it”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 October 2026
- ^ Harayada, Janice (12 November 2023), “Are We Talking About Falls The Wrong Way?”, in Crow's Feet[2], archived from the original on 1 February 2026