Example: She calls her parents every Sunday without fail.
Definition
"Without fail" is an expression used to indicate that an action happens consistently and reliably every time it is expected or promised, without any exceptions or omissions. For example, "She calls her parents every Sunday without fail" means she never misses a Sunday call.
Translations
sin falta
zonder uitzondering
sense falta
sans faute
unbedingt
Etymology
The phrase "without fail" originates from the use of the word "fail" meaning an error or omission. Historically, to do something without fail meant to do it without error or omission, ensuring reliability. The phrase has been used in English since at least the 16th century to emphasize certainty and consistency.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Without fail" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C1) - set 1", containing 130 commonly used expressions.
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