fall short of Copy link • fall short of: may be expr. by contingĕre with negative (v. to reach): to f. short of the goal, metam non contingere, cf. Hor. A. P. 412: or by a phrase: they seemed always to f. just a little short of complete success, semper paulum ad summam felicitatem defuisse videbatur, Caes. B. G. 6, 43: our pitiful estate always f.s short of something or other, curtae nescio quid semper abest rei, Hor. Od. 3, 24, extr.: in this one particular Caesar fell short of his former good fortune, hoc unum ad pristinam fortunam Caesari defuit, Caes. B. G. 4, 26, extr.: I have avoided censure it is true; I have fallen short of praise, vitavi denique culpam, non merui laudem, Hor.