A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

fairy lantern • magic lantern
fairy lantern —any of various plants of the genus Calochortus:
The fairy lantern is similar to orchids, and quite a few orchids
depend on fungi as much as they do on photosynthesis for
their energy.
Note: 
The expression does not correlate in meaning with the
phrase fairy lamp— a candle-burning night light usually of col-
ored glass: In the Amusement Compound they light a horse-
shoe of fairy-lamps above the Jack and Jill.
magic lantern —apparatus for throwing a magnified image
of a picture, etc. on to a white screen: Usually some newly
arrived acquisition occupied the center of the room — a magic
lantern, a kaleidoscope or a game of puff-billiards.
fall about someone’s ears • fall on someone’s ears
fall about someone’s ears —
1
. come crashing down; collapse:
Slabs of plaster left the ceilings and fell about our ears…. 2.
fail suddenly: All our careful plans fell about our ears when
the government changed the tax laws.
fall on someone’s ears —(liter.) be heard: As we entered the
temple, a curious chanting fell upon our ears.
fall back • fall behind
fall back —
1
. spring back; recoil: Mizuki watched Yukiko
dig through her stuff, then she fell back when she saw her get
– 115 –
fall back

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the box. 2. (of troops) retreat: The army began falling back to
prepared lines of defense. 3. lag behind; be outstripped: We
thought the horse would win, but he fell back halfway through
the race.
fall behind —
1
. = fall back 3: After about twenty miles the
horse slowly but surely falls behind. 2. fail to maintain a sched-
ule of payments, etc.: If your payments of rent fall behind,
you will be asked to leave.