n.
Pronunciation: di- ' fo ̇ lt, d ē -; ' d ē - ˌ fo ̇ lt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English defaute, defaulte, from Anglo-French, from defaillir to be lacking, fail, from de- + faillir to fail
Date: 13th century
1 : failure to do something required by duty or law : NEGLECT
2 archaic : FAULT
3 : a failure to pay financial debts
4 a : failure to appear at the required time in a legal proceeding b : failure to compete in or to finish an appointed contest <lost the game by default >
5 a : a selection made usually automatically or without active consideration due to lack of a viable alternative <remained the club's president by default > b : a selection automatically used by a computer program in the absence of a choice made by the user
– in default of : in the absence of