In what he himself regarded as his spare hours, that is to say, the daytime hours wherein the ordinary man labors, Neddy was a highly skilled craftsman, whose only failing was a tendency to be late in the morning and to fall ill about the festive seasons of the year.

Why one man should succeed and a dozen fail has ever been an unsolved problem at the Bar, and ever will be.

Fail is another instance of different use of words.

The most marked failings are, perhaps, the savagely personal character of some of its conflicts, and a general over-strained earnestness and lack of sense of proportion or humour.

His chief failing was an excessive indolence, without the least knowledge of economy; which often subjected him to wants he needed not otherwise have experienced.

His little failing was concealment of the fact that he was almost wholly supported by remittances furnished by his hard-working brother.

She bought more things of Monsieur Bienvenu, and also in other curiosity shops which she dared not mention to him, since his one failing was a bitter jealousy of rivals.

Malak's chief failing was evidently vanity, and he was very reluctant, even for an hour, to cede the place of honour to a European.

To recognize "That of our vices we can frame A ladder if we will but tread Beneath our feet each deed of shame," is to enter the way that leads unmistakably toward the Divine, and the failings of one who thus recognizes are so many dead selves, upon which he rises, as upon stepping-stones, to higher things.

The Shah's greatest failing is, perhaps, vacillation.

Her chief failing was "no disposition ... to be careful of her cloathes," which were "dabbed about in every hole and corner and her best things always in use," so that Washington said "she costs me enough!"