Meaning of TCP_REF_FAIL_HIT - Is this right?

Hi!

        Please correct if I am wrong:

        When a TCP_REF_FAIL_HIT occurs: it implies
        1. an outbound (to origin server) HTTP request was sent.
        2. the inbound (from origin server) HTTP reply was not received.
        
        Would the request to validate the object be considered "failed"
        if the connection could not be established ?

        Thanks.

Dinesh

--
TCP_REF_FAIL_HIT        The object was in the cache, but STALE.
                        The request to validate the object failed,
                        so the old (stale) object was returned.
--