If a person or plan falls by the wayside, they fail or stop before they complete what they set out to do. Amateurs fall by the wayside when the going gets tough.

What does it mean when something falls to the wayside?

Fail to continue, drop out, as in At first she did well on the tour, but with all the pressure she soon fell by the wayside. This phrase appeared in William Tyndale's translation of the New Testament (1526; Luke 8:5).

What does it mean by the wayside?

If something falls by the wayside, it fails or is forgotten about. His marriage had fallen by the wayside some years earlier. Other proposals fell by the wayside. Parties change over the years as games and dancing fall by the wayside. Note: You can also say that something falls by the way.