Final answer:
An overt act committed with the intent to commit a crime but which falls short of completion is known as an attempted crime. It is characterized by taking a substantial step towards committing the crime with a failure to succeed.
Step-by-step explanation:
When an overt act is committed with the intent to commit a crime but falls short of completing that crime, this is called an attempted crime. Attempted crime involves actions where the individuals involved make a substantial step towards committing a criminal act with the intention to complete it but ultimately do not succeed in doing so. This is different from a conspiracy, which involves an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime. A misdemeanor is a less serious type of crime, while a felony refers to a more serious crime that typically carries harsher penalties.