I. di-ˈfȯlt, dē-; ˈdē-ˌfȯlt 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
II. verb
Date: 15th century
intransitive verb
1. : to fail to fulfill a contract, agreement, or duty: as
a. : to fail to meet a financial obligation
default on a loan
b. : to fail to appear in court
c. : to fail to compete in or to finish an appointed contest ; also : to forfeit a contest by such failure
2. : to make a default selection
the program default s to a standard font
transitive verb
1. : to fail to perform, pay, or make good
2.
a. : forfeit
b. : to exclude (a player or a team) from a contest by default
• de·fault·er noun