succeed/fail

Từ điển Oxford Learners Wordfinder Dictionary

1 succeeding
2 not succeeding
3 wanting to succeed
succeeding in an examination EXAM
succeeding in a race or competition WIN/LOSE
see also HOPE, LUCK, TRY

1 succeeding
- to manage to do what you want: succeed (in sth/doing sth); noun (U): success
If you don't succeed the first time, try again. ◎ She finally succeeded in waking him up. ◎ We wish you every success in your future career.
- achieving success: successful (in sth) (adverb successfully)
a successful party/ performance
- to succeed in a particular task or in your job: make* a success of sth
George has made a great success of his new job as a theatre director.
- to succeed in your work, usually earning a lot of money: do* well for yourself
Jonathan has done very well for himself since leaving university.
- to do well in your life, job, etc: get* on, go* far
If you want to get on, you have to be prepared to work long hours.
- to get sth done or gain sth by effort or skill: achieve sth; noun (U): achievement; something which you achieve: achievement
I sometimes wonder what I have really achieved in my life. ◎ a great feeling of achievement ◎ What a marvellous achievement!
- to continue to do sth which is difficult, until you have succeeded: see* sth through
Congratulations on seeing the job through!
- to be able to do sth or deal with sth: manage (sth/to do sth)
We finally managed to start the car.
- to deal successfully with a difficult matter or situation: cope (with sth)
I just can't cope with the stress of this job.
- to manage to do sth difficult: (informal) bring*/carry/pull sth off
We haven't had much time to practise, but I'm sure we'll be able to bring it off.
- to manage to solve a problem: work sth out
'I just don't know what to do.' 'Don't worry - we'll work something out.'
- to manage to do what you want to do, rather than what sb else wants you to do: get* your (own) way
How is it that she always gets her own way?
- if sth that you plan or do gives you the result that you want, it goes* right, works, works out
Things have finally started to go right after all those problems we had. ◎ I don't think this plan's going to work. ◎ Things will probably work out all right in the end.
- if sth produces the result that you want, it is effective (adverb effectively)
a very effective medicine ◎ to take effective action ◎ The speaker made his point very effectively.

2 not succeeding
- to be unsuccessful in sth: fail (sth), fail to do sth; noun (C/U): failure
I tried but failed. ◎ to fail an interview ◎ Many of us failed to complete the course. ◎ I felt depressed by constant failure. ◎ When I lost my job, it just seemed like another failure.
- (used about a plan or piece of work) to be unsuccessful: fall* through, go* wrong
'I thought they were buying this house.' 'No, that fell through.' ◎ In spite of our preparations, things soon started to go wrong.
- (used about a business) to fail or break down suddenly or completely: collapse; noun (U): collapse
If the government introduces these new taxes, our business is sure to collapse. ◎ I'm trying to save the company from collapse.
- to fail to make any progress: not get* anywhere
Look, we're not getting anywhere in this discussion - nobody's listening to anyone else's opinion.
- not successful: unsuccessful (adverb unsuccessfully)
an unsuccessful businessman ◎ an unsuccessful journey ◎ Edward tried, unsuccessfully, to offer the policeman a bribe.
- a person or thing that has failed, or that often fails: failure
Everything in my life has gone wrong. I feel like a complete failure.
- an unsuccessful organized event: fiasco (plural fiascos)
The dance was a complete fiasco - all the lights went out at 10 pm, and everybody had to go home.
- not having the effect you want: futile, ineffective (adverb ineffectively); nouns (U): futility, ineffectiveness
It's futile trying to help him - he's too proud to accept help from anyone. ◎ Some of us made ineffective attempts to stop the water coming into the boat. ◎ The futility of the plan soon became obvious.
- giving no hope of success: hopeless (adverb hopelessly)
It's hopeless - there's nothing more I can do. ◎ We were hopelessly lost.
- something (for example a plan) which will not work is unworkable
It's an interesting idea, but I'm afraid it's totally unworkable.

3 wanting to succeed
- a strong desire to be successful: ambition (noun U); adjective: ambitious (adverb ambitiously)
When he started out in business, he was young and full of ambition. ◎ I was very ambitious when I was younger.
- a particular thing that you want to do: ambition
Her ambition is to climb Everest.
- likely to succeed in a profession: promising
a promising young musician
- feeling or showing that you are sure of being successful: confident (of sth/that ※€¦) (adverb confidently); noun (U): confidence
I'm confident that we'll raise the money in time.
- confident in your own abilities: self-confident; noun (U): self-confidence
She's very self-confident - she's not afraid to stand up and speak in front of a large audience.
- the possibility of being successful: hope (of sth/doing sth), chance (of sth/doing sth), prospects (of sth/doing sth) (noun plural)
Unfortunately, they have little hope of completing their journey before winter sets in. ◎ 'What are our prospects of success?' 'Not very good at present, I'm afraid.'
- the possibility of not being successful: risk
There is a risk that we might fail. ◎ I'm not prepared to take that risk!
- to have a chance of succeeding in sth: stand* a ※€¦ chance of doing sth
I think you stand a good/fair chance of getting that job.

4 being known and liked
- something that is successful and that a lot of people like: hit, success; something that is not successful: flop
That song was a big hit in America. ◎ The school play was a great success. ◎ His first film was a complete flop.
- liked by many people or by most people in a group: popular; the state of being popular: popularity (noun U)
a popular writer/singer/tourist resort
- to be known by many people as being good: have a good reputation
'Is he a good dentist?' 'Well I've never been to him myself, but he's got a good reputation.'
- to be as good as people say: live up to your reputation
'Well, did the hotel live up to its reputation?' 'Oh, absolutely.'