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A neglect or failure by the plaintiff to follow up his suit; a stopping of the suit; a renunciation or withdrawal of the cause by the plaintiff, either because he is satisfied that he can not support it, or upon the judge's expressing his opinion. A compulsory nonsuit is a nonsuit ordered by the court on the ground tha…

Neglect of using; failure to use. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

A not using; failure to use. An office may be forfeited by misuser or nonuser. Blackstone.

The act of omitting; neglect or failure to do something required by propriety or duty. The most natural division of all offenses is into those of omission and those of commission. Addison.

esult, issue, etc.; ascribable; -- with to; as, misfortunes are often owing to vices; his failure was owing to speculations.

n especial manner; in a high degree; as, a particularly fortunate man; a particularly bad failure. The exact propriety of Virgil I particularly regarded as a great part of his character. Dryden.

The voluntary failure of the members of a race or people to have a number of children sufficient to keep the birth rate equal to the death rate.

regone; -- applied especially to land; the entry by a lessor upon the premises leased, on failure of the tenant to pay rent or perform the covenants in the lease. Burrill. Card of reëtry, (Whist), a card that by winning a trick will bring one the lead at an advanced period of the hand.

The act of being remiss; inefficiency; failure. [Obs.] "Remisses of laws." Puttenham.

Figuratively: Refusal; denial; rejection; failure.

f the passage of the primary current. -- Secondary evidence, that which is admitted upon failure to obtain the primary or best evidence. -- Secondary fever (Med.), a fever coming on in a disease after the subsidence of the fever with which the disease began, as the fever which attends the outbreak of the eruption in…

Destitute of expedients, or not using successful expedients; characterized by failure, especially by failure to provide for one's own support, through negligence or incapacity; hence, lazy; improvident; thriftless; as, a shiftless fellow; shiftless management. -- Shift"less*ly, adv. -- Shift"less*ness, n.…

The failure of a crop, or the like.

One who is disgruntled by a failure in politics, or the like. [Slang, U.S.]

A blunder; a failure; a fall from rectitude. One stumble is enough to deface the character of an honorable life. L'Estrange.

The designation of a person in a will to take a devise or legacy, either on failure of a former devisee or legatee by incapacity or unwillingness to accept, or after him. Burrill.

be sure I shall. -- To make sure. (a) To make certain; to secure so that there can be no failure of the purpose or object. "Make Cato sure." Addison. "A peace can not fail, provided we make sure of Spain." Sir W. Temple.

A false step; a stumble; a misstep; a loss of footing or balance. Fig.: An error; a failure; a mistake. Imperfect words, with childish trips. Milton. Each seeming trip, and each digressive start. Harte.

Committing no mistake; incapable or error or failure certain; sure; unfailing; as, the unerring wisdom of God. Hissing in air the unerring weapon flew. Dryden.

Want or failure of intermission. [R.] Bp. Parker.