A failed actor, a failed writer, a failed businessman: these are people who wanted that life and did not get there. Failed here sits in front of a job-word (or a role-word) and paints a type — not one bad night, but a path that did not come off.

A failed actor, a failed writer, a failed businessman沒當成的演員、沒當成的作家、沒當成的商人：these are people這些人 who wanted that life想要那樣的人生，and did not get there卻沒有達成。Failed here這裡的『failed』 sits in front of a job-word (or a role-word)放在一個表示職業的詞（或角色的詞）前面，and paints a type描繪出一種類型——not one bad night不是某一晚的失誤，but a path that did not come off而是一條沒有走成的路。

It is often unkind. Magazines use it because it is sharp and small.

It is often unkind它常常帶有一點刻薄。Magazines use it雜誌會用它 because it is sharp and small因為它簡短又犀利。

It is not the same as the verb in ‘she failed the exam’, which is one event you can try again.

It is not the same as the verb它跟這個動詞不一樣，in 'she failed the exam'在『she failed the exam』（她考試沒過）這句話裡的，which is one event那是一次事件，you can try again你可以再試一次

You can say he is unsuccessful as an actor and mean the same facts with a softer hand.

You can say你可以說 he is unsuccessful as an actor他是個不成功的演員，and mean the same facts而意思一樣，with a softer hand只是語氣比較委婉

Keep the pattern: failed + the thing they wanted to be. That is the meaning filed here.

Keep the pattern記住這個模式：failed + the thing they wanted to be『failed』加上他們想成為的身分。That is the meaning這就是 filed here這裡收錄的意思。