I. ˈfȯlt, in poetry also ˈfȯt noun
Etymology: Middle English faute, falte, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin * fallita, from feminine of fallitus, past participle of Latin fallere to deceive, disappoint
Date: 13th century
1. obsolete : lack
2.
a. : weakness , failing ; especially : a moral weakness less serious than a vice
b. : a physical or intellectual imperfection or impairment : defect
c. : an error especially in service in a net or racket game
3.
a. : misdemeanor
b. : mistake
4. : responsibility for wrongdoing or failure
the accident was the driver's fault
5. : a fracture in the crust of a planet (as the earth) or moon accompanied by a displacement of one side of the fracture with respect to the other usually in a direction parallel to the fracture
•
- at fault
- to a fault
Synonyms:
fault , failing , frailty , foible , vice mean an imperfection or weakness of character. fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in disposition, action, or habit
a writer of many virtues and few faults
failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character
being late is a failing of mine
frailty implies a general or chronic proneness to yield to temptation
human frailties
foible applies to a harmless or endearing weakness or idiosyncrasy
an eccentric's charming foibles
vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but it often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others
compulsive gambling was his vice
[
fault 5: 1 fault with displaced strata a, b, c, d, e; 2 scarp
]
II. verb
Date: 15th century
intransitive verb
1. : to commit a fault : err
2. : to fracture so as to produce a geologic fault
transitive verb
1. : to find a fault in
easy to praise this book and to fault it — H. G. Roepke
2. : to produce a geologic fault in
3. : blame , censure
can't fault them for not coming