fall to

verb

1. adverb to begin some activity, as eating, working, or fighting
2. preposition to devolve on (a person)

   the task fell to me

3. fall to the ground
   fall to the ground (of a plan, theory, etc) to be rendered invalid, esp because of lack of necessary information

Idioms and Phrases

Energetically begin an activity, set to work, as in As soon as they had the right tools, they fell to work on the house . This expression is also often used to mean “begin to eat.” Charles Dickens so used it in American Notes (1842): “We fall-to upon these dainties.” [Late 1500s]

Example Sentences

Clearly therefore we are destined for world-dominion; we have only to fall-to.

From Project Gutenberg

If by chance I should fall to-night, take a boat at the landing, hasten upstream, and hail the Solebay.

From Project Gutenberg

I have, by wonderful good luck, escaped thus far, but it may be my fate to fall to-morrow through some foul practice.

From Project Gutenberg

If you fall to-day, there is no better day on which to die, and the women of our tribe will weep proud tears for Tawasuota.

From Project Gutenberg

If that one which passed did not fall into the house of that barbarian of an official, another will fall to-morrow.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• begin