To diminish in size, value, etc. To get worse (in quality).
Business always falls off in the winter.
To change the direction of the sail so as to point in a direction that is more down wind; to bring the bow leeward.
'Why d'ye see, Captain Vangs,' says bold Jack, 'I'm as good a helmsman as ever put hand to spoke; but none of us can steer the old lady now. We can't keep her full and bye, sir; watch her ever so close, she will fall off and then, sir, when I put the helm down so gently, and try like to coax her to the work, she won't take it kindly, but will fall round off again; and it's all because she knows the land is under the lee, sir, and she won't go any more to windward.'
Alternative form of falloff.
From fall + off; and also dissimilated from Middle English offallen (“to destroy, defeat, ruin, fail”), from Old English offeallan (“to fall upon, destroy”).
Select a language to see translations