Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. US black) to visit without prior warning, to drop in.

1955		S. Allen Bop Fables 37: I’d like you to fall by grandma’s joint this afternoon.
1958		J.C. Holmes Horn 220: I fell by here looking for a chick.
1963		T. Southern ‘You’re Too Hip, Baby’ Red Dirt Marijuana (1973) 75: I’ve got a box, man [...] and some new Monk — you know, if you ever want to fall by.
1978		H. Selby Jr Requiem for a Dream (1987) 33: They decided to fall by Tonys pad.
1980		E. Folb Runnin’ Down Some Lines 27: Like you fall by dis little ol’ party and dey be wall-to-walI-niggas—gettin’ down to the ground!

1. (orig. US black, also fall on in, fall out, fall over) to arrive, to go to, to visit; thus fall-in n., an entrance.

c.1850		‘Wakefield Gaol’ in R. Palmer Touch of the Times 251: When service was over, all came back; At eight fell in for skilly and whack.
1856		C. Reade It Is Never Too Late to Mend II 33: Hem! did you ever fall in with any Yankees?
1899–1900		C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 383: We’d all fall in in a bunch at 4:27 in the morning.
1936		Archie Seale Man About Harlem 1 Aug. [synd. col.] When he fell in it took three transportation clerks [...] and two baggage men to get him aboard.
1938		P. Grey ‘’Twixt Night ’n’ Dawn’ in Afro-American (Baltimore, MD) 3 Dec. 11/5: Fall in there [i.e. a club] at the matinee Saturday.
1946		Mezzrow & Wolfe Really the Blues 59: Pimps and simps would fall in from here and there and everywhere.
1953		Kramer & Karr Teen-Age Gangs 158: When he falls in at the dance tonight it won’t be like anybody ever fell in before. [Ibid.] 162: Gangs from all over the city gathered and their entrance – or ‘fall-in’ – was of vast importance. That which made the most impressive fall-in soared up the social ladder and found favor in the eyes of the girls.
1956		H. Ellison ‘Made in Heaven’ in Deadly Streets (1983) 179: Maybe I’ll fall over to the club-room.
1957		Beckley Post-Herald (WV) 1 Dec. 7/4: Fall in — A group entrance to create impression.
1958		G. Lea Somewhere There’s Music 34: Why don’t you fall out with your axe some night?
1964		H. Selby Jr Last Exit to Brooklyn 108: When she crawled out of a flophouse she fell in the nearest bar.
1965		H. Huncke in Huncke’s Journal (1998) 31: Phil called yesterday and said he might fall over — maybe cop some boo.
1972		‘Soulful Spider’ ‘Pimp in a Clothing Store’ in Milner & Milner (1972) 286: Diamonds sparkling, oh, lookie here, look like stars on his fingers, you understand me. He fell on in high-sidin’ with his hands off in his pockets, his hand mini-high off in his pants, you understand me, and he fell on in. [Ibid.] 288: And he falls on down, Jack, took his hands off in his pocket, pulled his pants halfway all up his chest and falls on in the store.
1980		(con. 1940s–60s) H. Huncke ‘Russian Blackie’ in Eve. Sun Turned Crimson (1998) 101: Once he fell in and spoke to me directly about doing him a favor.
1992		D. Burke Street Talk 2 34: Yer the first person I’ve recognized since I fell in at this reunion.
1998		P. McCabe Breakfast on Pluto 72: The night with its Clockwork Orange gangs and skinheads and hippy dealers falling in and out of Ward’s pub.

2. (also fall to) in fig. use, to become involved.

1837		Marryat Snarleyyow I 50: We were boozing [...] at the Pint in Portsmouth—and so you see, falling in with him, I wished to learn something about my new skipper.
1840		R.H. Dana Two Years before the Mast (1992) 200: He said that, a number of years before [...] he had fallen in with a pamphlet on the subject.
1861		M.E. Braddon Trail of the Serpent 363: Von day vhen me and Jim vos at a public, ve happened to fall in vith a sailor.
1877		Dodge City Times (KS) 17 Nov. 8/2: I fell in with a detective employed upon one of the western railroads.
1893		P.H. Emerson Signor Lippo 27: After we’d done Dukey invited the loafers in the pub to fall to and have a thumb-piece.
1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 20 Oct. 43/1: That’s where we fall in – or, rather, it’s where those hundreds you were fluting about disappear.
1920		Dresden Enterprise (TN) 5 Nov. n.p.: He got tanked up on bootleg whiskey and ‘fell in’ with the gang and committed a felony.

see separate entries.

see separate entries.

(US black) to arrive, to turn up.

1958		H. Ellison Web of the City (1983) 177: Let’s fall up to your pad.
1961		L. Block Diet of Treacle (2008) 137: Fall up around six or so for dinner.
1999		R. Glenn ‘In Your Arms’ Phase 3 on Britney Press 🌐 When he got back to New York Nick pieced up Freeze and they fell up in Some Joint in Queens.