Aramaic

Verb

נפל • ‎(transliteration needed)

1. to fall, to collapse

Hebrew

Etymology

From the root נ־פ־ל ‎(n-p-l), forming words relating to falling. That some say itself comes from a bilateral Proto-Semitic root פ־ל ‎(p-l) shared by both נ־פ־ל ‎(n-p-l) and ש־פ־ל ‎(sh-p-l).

Verb

נָפַל • ‎(nafál) ‎(pa'al construction, infinitive ליפול \ לִפֹּל, future ייפול \ יִפֹּל, imperative נפול \ נְפֹל, passive participle נָפוּל)

1. To fall: to be pulled downward by gravity.
   • Psalms 7:16, with translation of the New International Version:

     בּוֹר כָּרָה וַיַּחְפְּרֵהוּ וַיִּפֹּל בְּשַׁחַת יִפְעָל׃‎

     Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.

   • Judges 5:27, with translation of the New International Version:

     בֵּין רַגְלֶיהָ כָּרַע נָפַל שָׁכָב בֵּין רַגְלֶיהָ כָּרַע נָפָל בַּאֲשֶׁר כָּרַע שָׁם נָפַל שָׁדוּד׃‎

     At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell—dead.

2. To fall: to decline sharply.

   לאחר הפיגוע במרכז הסחר העולמי, ערכי מניות רבות נפלו בפתאומיות.‎

   After the attack in the World Trade Centre, the values of many stock fell suddenly.

3. (flowery) (constructed with מ־) To be less the someone or something else.
4. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

   הפעילות נפלה מסדר היום לאחר שהתברר כי היא עלולה לסכן חיי אדם.‎

   The activity was dropped from the agenda after it became clear that it may endanger human life.

5. (computing and electronics) To crash, to suddenly or expectedly stop working.

   בעקבות הפסקת החשמל, מערכת הרמזורים נפלה.‎ ― Following a power failure, the traffic lights system stopped working.

   התוכנה נפלה במהלך ביצוע פעולה גדולה.‎ ― The software crashed while executing a big operation.

6. To occur, to fall (on a certain day of the week, date, or similar); said of an instance of a recurring event such as a holiday or date.

   יום הכיפורים נופל השנה ביום שבת.‎ ― Yom Kippur falls on a Saturday this year.

7. To fall (into a category or a domain), to come under, to be included.

   "נדמה לי שהעניין נופל בתחום המומחיות שלך, תוכלי לעזור?"‎

   "It seems to me that the matter falls in the area of your expertise, you could help?"

8. (slang) (constructed with על־) To happen upon, to stumble upon, to meet someone unexpectedly.

   הייתי בטוח שהטסט ילך לי בקלות, אבל נפלתי על בוחן מכשיל.‎

   I was sure that the test will go easily, but I fell on a hindering tester.

   לתדהמתי, נפלתי על נהג מונית שקט ואפילו ביישן.‎

   To my surprise, I happened upon a silent and even shy taxi driver.

9. (slang) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

   "תעזבו אותו, מה הוא עשה שנפלתם עליו כולכם?"‎

   Leave him, what did he do that you ... on him all of you?

10. (by extension of physically falling) To fall, to die especially in battle.
    • 1 Samuel 4:10, with translation of the English Standard Version:

      וַיִּלָּחֲמוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּנָּגֶף יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּנֻסוּ אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו וַתְּהִי הַמַּכָּה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד וַיִּפֹּל מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף רַגְלִי׃‎

      So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell.

11. To fall, to suffer defeat, ruin or distraction.
    • Isaiah 21:9, with translation of the New International Version:

      וְהִנֵּה־זֶה בָא רֶכֶב אִישׁ צֶמֶד פָּרָשִׁים וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר נָפְלָה נָפְלָה בָּבֶל וְכָל־פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֶיהָ שִׁבַּר לָאָרֶץ׃‎

      Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’ ”

    • Amos 5:2, with translation of the King James Version:

      נָפְלָה לֹא־תוֹסִיף קוּם בְּתוּלַת יִשְׂרָאֵל נִטְּשָׁה עַל־אַדְמָתָהּ אֵין מְקִימָהּ׃‎

      The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

12. (biblical) To reside, to dwell, to settle.
    • Genesis 25:18, with translation of the English Standard Version:

      וַיִּשְׁכְּנוּ מֵחֲוִילָה עַד־שׁוּר אֲשֶׁר עַל־פְּנֵי מִצְרַיִם בֹּאֲכָה אַשּׁוּרָה עַל־פְּנֵי כָל־אֶחָיו נָפָל׃‎

      They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria. He settled over against all his kinsmen.

13. (biblical) To attack, to start a battle (to apply violent force).
    • Joshua 11:7, with translation of the New International Version:

      וַיָּבֹא יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְכָל־עַם הַמִּלְחָמָה עִמּוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם עַל־מֵי מֵרוֹם פִּתְאֹם וַיִּפְּלוּ בָּהֶם׃‎

      So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them,

14. To be captured (in a trap or an ambush, etc.)

    במלחמת העצמאות נפלו בשבי מגניהם של יישובים אחדים, שנאלצו להיכנע לאויב.‎

    In the War of Independence protectors of some communities were captured, they were forced to surrender to the enemy.

15. To be seized by force or stratagem, to be captured, to fall into the hand of others.

    המוצב נפל לידי האויב.‎ ― The outpost fell into enemy hands.

16. To be decided.

    ההכרעה בין שני המשתתפים נפלה.‎ ― The choice between the two participants was decided.

17. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

    פתאום נפלה עליי עייפות גדולה.‎ ― Suddenly great fatigue fell on me.

Conjugation

Synonyms

• (to occur): חָל ‎(khál)
• (to attack): הִתְקִיף ‎(hitkíf)
• (to be captured): נִלְכַּד, נִתְפַּס
• (to be seized): נִכְבַּשׁ
• (to be decided): הוחלט \ הֻחְלַט ‎(hukhlát)