fault en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /fɔːlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (UK) audio
- /fɑlt/ (cot-caught-merger)
- [fɒːlt] (Canada)
- (US) audio
- /fɒlt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /fɔlt/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English faute, faulte, from Anglo-Norman faute, Old French faute, from Vulgar Latin *fallita (“shortcoming”), feminine of *fallitus, in place of Latin falsus, perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Displaced native Middle English schuld, schuild (“fault”) (from Old English scyld (“fault”)), Middle English lac (“fault, lack”) (from Middle Dutch lak (“lack, fault”)), Middle English last (“fault, vice”) (from Old Norse lǫstr (“fault, vice, crime”)). Compare French faute (“fault, foul”), Portuguese falta (“lack, shortage”) and Spanish falta (“lack, absence”). More at fail, false.
Meanings
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(qualifier:typically uncountable) Culpability; the responsibility for a blameworthy event.
No, don't blame yourself. It's my fault that we lost the game.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings.
1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:A police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that a note found at the scene addressed to Ms. Spade's 13-year-old daughter indicated, among other things, that what had happened was not the child’s fault.
2018 June 5, Jonah Engel Bromwich, Vanessa Friedman, Matthew Schneier, “Kate Spade, whose handbags carried women into adulthood, is dead at 55”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Jun 2018:How many more innocent people and kids gotta get killed by these police, man? / And then it's always the victim's fault
2020, “Point the Finger”, in Carnivore (Rap Metal, Thrash Metal), performed by Body Count ft. Riley Gale, United States:I told them the pie was still too hot. If they burn their tongues, that's their fault.
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(qualifier:morality) A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw. ▸ A failing of character; less severe than a vice.
Despite all her faults, she’s a good person at heart.
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A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw. ▸ A characteristic, positive or negative or both, which increases one's risk of danger or difficulty.
You're still young, that's your fault.
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A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw. ▸ A strongly undesirable variation of food or drink caused by impurity or contamination.
The time of greatest prevalence of this microörganism, August and September, agreed in general with the occurrence of this cheese fault. Not a single Cheddar cheese was found which turned blue, and as the iron content of Cheddar cheese was low the author regards this as supporting his conclusion that iron is the cause of the fault.
1891, T.J. Klaverweiden, “The cause of blue spots in cheese”, in Milch Zeitung, volume 23, number 35, pages 558-560; republished as Experiment station record, volume 25, United States Office of Experiment Stations, 1896, page 482:No common wine fault is likely to cause serious health problems but you won't want to take the tasting much further if the wine smells faulty.
2003, Godfrey Spence, Wine tasting, page 5:Cork taint is one of the most recognizable wine faults.
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(obsolete) A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw. ▸ A point of weakness in something's physical structure.
As patches set upon a little breach / Discredit more in hiding of the fault.
c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]:
- A mistake or error. ▸ A minor offense.
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A mistake or error. ▸ An illegal serve.
It is a fault if the ball served drop in the net, or beyond the Service-Line, or if it drop out of Court, or in the wrong Court. A fault may not be taken. After a fault, the Server shall serve again from the same Court from which he served that fault.
1879, Julian Marshall, Lawn-tennis: With the Laws Adopted by the M. C. C., and A. E. C. & L. T. C., and Badminton, page 8:
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A mistake or error. ▸ A penalty point assessed in horseback events such as show jumping.
If the horse refuses an obstacle, the rider will receive four faults.
- A mistake or error. ▸ An exception within a software program or process.
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A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected. ▸ A fracture in a rock formation causing a discontinuity.
That might explain why the last three major earthquakes occurred not at San Andreas faults, where it would seem natural to expect them, but in both adjacent fault groups.
2003, Alexandre A. Soloviev, Vladimir Isaakovich Kelis-Borok, Nonlinear Dynamics of the Lithosphere and Earthquake Prediction, page 32:
- A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected. ▸ An abnormal connection within an electric circuit.
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A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected. ▸ A loss of the scent being tracked by a hound.
Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled, / With much ado, the cold fault clearly out.
1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC:
- A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected. ▸ An intrusion of another material, such as dirt or slate, within a coal seam.
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(obsolete) want; lack; absence
one, it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call my friend
c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| faults | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
wrench fault · fault-tolerant · fault scarp · time fault · upfault · fault-finding · fault trace · segfault · locked fault · active fault · blind thrust fault · fault-free · interfault · faultfind · fault-prone · pseudofault · fault gouge · page fault · pick-fault · triple fault · faultful · fault-find · at-fault · fault injection · fault plane · find fault · double fault · at fault · fault-line · to a fault · subfault · dextral fault · pick fault · faultworthy · no-fault · findfault · strikeslip fault · fault tolerance · San Andreas fault · no-fault divorce · arc fault · fault current · faulty · a fault confessed is half redressed · faultfinding · faultless · faultfinder · segmentation fault · sinistral fault · Byzantine fault tolerance · it's not my fault · foot fault · double-fault · fault tree · electrical fault · no fault · downfault · footfault · fault line · postfault
Hyponyms
page fault · segmentation fault · arc fault · transform fault · double fault · triple fault · strike-slip fault · normal fault · thrust fault · reverse fault
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (288)
sh grješka (defect) · nl fout (mistake or error) · msk sara (mistake or error) · ru просту́пок (minor offense) · sh мана (defect) · ar خَطَأ (mistake or error) · ru оши́бка (defect) · ar فَالِق (geology: fracture) · hu hiba (defect) · lv kļuda (mistake or error) · fr faille (geology: fracture) · sh грешка (defect) · he משגה (mistake or error) · ca culpa (culpability; responsibility) · bn খাতা (mistake or error) · it crepa (geology: fracture) · fi oikosulku (technology: abnormal connection) · fa نقص (defect) · no forkastning (geology: fracture) · it colpa (defect) · fi epäkohta (defect) · hi दोष (defect) · ja せい (culpability; responsibility) · sv förkastning (geology: fracture) · sh krivnja (culpability; responsibility) · gd cron (mistake or error) · fr faute (geology: fracture) · sa अगुण (defect) · be га́на (defect) · sip སྐྱོན (mistake or error) · ba ғәйеп (culpability; responsibility) · cs chyba (defect) · sh krivnja (defect) · ca error (defect) · sq gabim (defect) · pl błąd (mistake or error) · ro hibă (defect) · km ទោស (mistake or error) · hu fogyatékosság (defect) · fa عوار (defect) · az günah (culpability; responsibility) · fi rike (minor offense) · gd cron (defect) · uk по́милка (mistake or error) · de Fehler (tennis: illegal serve) · he פָּגַם (defect) · bn ভুল (mistake or error) · da forkastning (geology: fracture) · tg тақсир (culpability; responsibility) · it sbaglio (minor offense) · ru дефе́кт (defect) · km ទោស (culpability; responsibility) · cy bai (defect) · id sesar (geology: fracture) · hi क़सूर (culpability; responsibility) · ar غَلْطَة (mistake or error) · ru изъя́н (defect) · ko 단층 (geology: fracture) · cs chyba (mistake or error) · ja 欠点 (defect) · be віна́ (culpability; responsibility) · tet sala (mistake or error) · tr yanlış (defect) · hu szabálytalanság (minor offense) · nl breuk (geology: fracture) · fi syyllisyys (culpability; responsibility) · fi virhe (defect) · de Brücke (technology: abnormal connection) · scn curpa (mistake or error) · ar عَوَار (defect) · lv vaina (mistake or error) · ja 誤り (mistake or error) · bg недоста́тък (defect) · hu vétség (minor offense) · th จุดบกพร่อง (defect) · uk ґандж (defect) · ro culpă (mistake or error) · ar زمب (mistake or error) · tr fay (geology: fracture) · ltg vaine (mistake or error) · zza eyb (defect) · zza xırıx (geology: fracture) · ru про́мах (mistake or error) · ka ნაკლი (defect) · bn ত্রুটি (defect) · la culpa (defect) · bn তকসির (minor offense) · be памы́лка (mistake or error) · ca culpa (defect) · cmn 錯 /错 (culpability; responsibility) · la culpa (culpability; responsibility) · ja 欠陥 (defect) · zza xeta (diq) (mistake or error) · fr faute (mistake or error) · fi puute (defect) · zza qısur (culpability; responsibility) · eo eraro (defect) · de Schuld (mistake or error) · az qırılma (geology: fracture) · be дэфе́кт (defect) · fi vika (technology: abnormal connection) · bn দুর্বলতা (failing of character) · cmn 斷層 /断层 (geology: fracture) · ms gelinciran (geology: fracture) · fr faute (culpability; responsibility) · cmn 錯誤 /错误 (mistake or error) · it fessura (geology: fracture) · ja せい (mistake or error) · az yanlış (mistake or error) · eo kulpo (culpability; responsibility) · ko 잘못 (culpability; responsibility) · de Kurzschluss (technology: abnormal connection) · mi hapa (geology: fracture) · it colpa (mistake or error) · ml കുറ്റം (culpability; responsibility) · ga éasc (geology: fracture) · fi maasulku (technology: abnormal connection) · te తప్పిదం (defect) · ko 땅끊임 (geology: fracture) · pl pomyłka (mistake or error) · hi खोट (defect) · sh rasjed (geology: fracture) · bn তকসির (culpability; responsibility) · ka წუნი (defect) · tsg sa (mistake or error) · no skyld (mistake or error) · fi hukattu vainu (hunting: loss of scent) · fr défaut (defect) · sk chyba (defect) · bg вина́ (culpability; responsibility) · ur خطا (mistake or error) · es falla (defect) · txb nāki (mistake or error) · pt falha (defect) · cy ffawt (geology: fracture) · es defecto (defect) · es falla (geology: fracture) · hu felelősség (culpability; responsibility) · nn forkasting (geology: fracture) · fi puute (failing of character) · sv fel (defect) · eu erru (culpability; responsibility) · ka შეცდომა (mistake or error) · it colpa (culpability; responsibility) · es falta (tennis: illegal serve) · bn দোষ (defect) · zdj kosa (defect) · sk vina (culpability; responsibility) · de Bruchlinie (geology: fracture) · fi sulku (technology: abnormal connection) · es culpa (culpability; responsibility) · ro greșeală (mistake or error) · sv fel (culpability; responsibility) · sv brist (defect) · de Charakterschwäche (failing of character) · ar خَلَل (defect) · ba хата (mistake or error) · de Zwischenmittel (mining: interrupted seam) · pt culpa (mistake or error) · az təqsir (culpability; responsibility) · ca falla (geology: fracture) · de Fehler (defect) · ota ردت (defect) · de Fehler (failing of character) · cs zlom (geology: fracture) · pl uskok (geology: fracture) · ru разло́м (geology: fracture) · hu gyengeség (failing of character) · ca errada (defect) · he עֲבֵרָה (minor offense) · ar عَيْب (defect) · hu rétegelmozdulás (geology: fracture) · et viga (culpability; responsibility) · ko 결함 (defect) · ca defecte (defect) · fi vika (mistake or error) · sh mana (defect) · fi syy (culpability; responsibility) · hi ग़लती (mistake or error) · ru оши́бка (mistake or error) · cmn 缺點 /缺点 (defect) · tr hata (mistake or error) · fi moka (mistake or error) · ota صوچ (culpability; responsibility) · hu vetődés (geology: fracture) · bn চ্যুতি (geology: fracture) · ru вина́ (culpability; responsibility) · eu huts (mistake or error) · fi siirros (geology: fracture) · ar صَدْع (geology: fracture) · nl breuklijn (geology: fracture) · id patahan (geology: fracture) · bn গলতি (mistake or error) · az iştibah (mistake or error) · it imperfezione (defect) · ca errada (mistake or error) · uk поми́лка (mistake or error) · bg дефе́кт (defect) · ms sesar (geology: fracture) · cmn 毛病 (defect) · fa-ira گُسَل (geology: fracture) · mrw daway (defect) · ro vină (mistake or error) · ur غلطی (mistake or error) · gd coire (mistake or error) · sh грјешка (defect) · bg гре́шка (mistake or error) · de Schuld (culpability; responsibility) · it frattura (geology: fracture) · sh greška (defect) · it biasimo (culpability; responsibility) · ml പിഴവ് (mistake or error) · he אַשְׁמָה (culpability; responsibility) · uz min (defect) · ru просчёт (mistake or error) · la vitium (defect) · ca falta (minor offense) · bho दोष (defect) · uk ва́да (defect) · hu hiba (mistake or error) · fa عیب (defect) · az səhv (mistake or error) · fa خطا (mistake or error) · sa दोष (defect) · hu hiányosság (defect) · hu szervahiba (tennis: illegal serve) · pt falha (geology: fracture) · ca error (mistake or error) · sh кривња (defect) · ms salah (mistake or error) · ml കുറ്റം (minor offense) · zza guna (culpability; responsibility) · cs vina (culpability; responsibility) · th ความผิด (culpability; responsibility) · ur قصور (culpability; responsibility) · th ข้อบกพร่อง (defect) · sv skuld (mistake or error) · pl defekt (defect) · fi heikkous (failing of character) · pt defeito (defect) · fi vika (defect) · ms sesaran (geology: fracture) · he כָּשַׁל (minor offense) · de Berge (mining: interrupted seam) · ka ცდომილება (mistake or error) · hu mulasztás (mistake or error) · hu törés (geology: fracture) · bg простъ́пка (minor offense) · de Verfehlung (minor offense) · la culpa (geology: fracture) · el φταίξιμο (mistake or error) · ota ذنب (culpability; responsibility) · pl wina (culpability; responsibility) · et süü (culpability; responsibility) · mk вина (culpability; responsibility) · la culpa (mistake or error) · uk вина́ (culpability; responsibility) · bn ফাটল (geology: fracture) · hu szabálysértés (minor offense) · hi क़सूर (mistake or error) · it faglia (geology: fracture) · fi väärä syöttö (tennis: illegal serve) · ar خَطَأ (culpability; responsibility) · ja 断層 (geology: fracture) · fi väärä (tennis: illegal serve) · es culpa (mistake or error) · sl hiba (defect) · zza xırabin (mistake or error) · ml പിഴവ് (defect) · ca falta (tennis: illegal serve) · sq faj (defect) · et viga (defect) · ltg klaida (mistake or error) · et viga (mistake or error) · mrw sala' (mistake or error) · fi virhe (mistake or error) · fa تقصیر (culpability; responsibility) · uk дефе́кт (defect) · az yanlışlıq (mistake or error) · hu hiba (failing of character) · de Verwerfung (geology: fracture) · pl wada (defect) · sh расјед (geology: fracture) · ml പിഴവ് (failing of character) · zza xırab (defect) · he טָעוּת (mistake or error) · ga milleán (culpability; responsibility) · sk chyba (mistake or error)