I.Lat. fall-o (the sigma being lost):—to make to fall, throw down, overthrow, properly by tripping up, to trip up in wrestling, Hom., Pind., Eur., etc.; σφ. ναῦς to throw her on her beam-ends, Plut.; ἵππος σφ. τὸν ἀναβάτην throws him, Xen.:—Pass. to be tripped up, Ar.; of a drunken man, σφαλλόμενος reeling, staggering, id=Ar.
II.generally, to cause to fall, overthrow, defeat, Hdt., Soph., Thuc.:—Pass. to be overthrown, to fall, fail, be undone, become helpless, Hdt., attic; τόδ᾽ ἐσφάλη this mishap took place, Soph.; οὔ τι μὴ σφαλῶ γ᾽ ἐν σοί I shall not fail in thy business, id=Soph.
III.to baffle, foil, balk, disappoint, Hdt., Soph.:—Pass. to err, go wrong, be mistaken, Hdt., Soph.
2.the Pass. is also used c. gen. rei, to be balked of or foiled in a thing, ἦ καὶ πατήρ τι σφάλλεται βουλευμάτων; Aesch.; σφάλλεσθαι γάμου Eur.; τῆς δόξης Thuc.