• Fault

    Pronunciation

    • RP IPA: /fɔːlt/, /fÉ’lt/
    • US IPA: /fÉ”lt/
    • cot-caught IPA: /fÉ‘lt/
    • Rhymes: -ɔːlt

    Origin

    From Middle English faute, faulte, from Anglo-Norman and Old French faute, from Vulgar Latin *fallita ("shortcoming"), from 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, löstr ("fault, vice, crime")).

    Full definition of fault

    Noun

    fault

    (plural faults)
    1. A defect; something that detracts from perfection.
      • ShakespeareAs patches set upon a little breach
        Discredit more in hiding of the fault.
    2. A mistake or error.No!. This is my fault, not yours
    3. A weakness of character; a failing.For all her faults, she's a good person at heart.
    4. A minor offense.
    5. Blame; the responsibility for a mistake.The fault lies with you.
    6. (seismology) A fracture in a rock formation causing a discontinuity.
    7. (mining) In coal seams, coal rendered worthless by impurities in the seam.slate fault, dirt fault, etc.
    8. (tennis) An illegal serve.
    9. (electrical) An abnormal connection in a circuit.
    10. (obsolete) want; lack
      • Shakespeareone, it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call my friend
    11. (hunting) A lost scent; act of losing the scent.
      • ShakespeareCeasing their clamorous cry till they have singled,
        With much ado, the cold fault clearly out.

    Synonyms

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To criticize, blame or find fault with something or someone.
      • Traditional songFor that I will not fault thee
        But for humbleness exalt thee.
    2. (intransitive, geology) To fracture.
    3. (intransitive) To commit a mistake or error.
    4. (intransitive, computing) To undergo a page fault.
      • 2002, Æleen Frisch, Essential system administrationWhen a page is read in, a few pages surrounding the faulted page are typically loaded as well in the same I/O operation in an effort to head off future page faults.
    © Wiktionary