Fall has several related meanings, all connected to the idea of dropping or descending:

1. To drop downward, usually quickly and without control. When you trip on a curb, you fall to the ground. Leaves fall from trees in autumn. A book falls off a shelf when someone bumps it. Rain and snow fall from the sky. The word captures that moment when gravity takes over and something moves from a higher place to a lower one.
2. To decrease or decline. Temperatures fall as winter approaches. A student's grade might fall if they stop studying. When an empire falls, it loses its power and collapses. A business can fall on hard times, meaning it struggles financially.
3. The season between summer and winter, also called autumn. In North America, fall begins in September and lasts until December. Trees put on spectacular displays as their leaves change color and fall to the ground. The season gets its name from this very phenomenon of leaves falling.

The word appears in many common expressions. When you fall asleep, you drift from wakefulness into sleep. To fall short means to fail to reach a goal. When something falls into place, it works out naturally and easily, like puzzle pieces finding their proper spots.