fault

Meaning

1. A defect; something that detracts from perfection.
2. A mistake or error.
3. A weakness of character; a failing.
4. A characteristic, positive or negative or both, which subjects a person or thing to increased risk of danger.
5. A minor offense.
6. Blame; the responsibility for a mistake.
7. A fracture in a rock formation causing a discontinuity.
8. In coal seams, coal rendered worthless by impurities in the seam.
9. An illegal serve.
10. An abnormal connection in a circuit.
11. (obsolete) want; lack
12. A lost scent; act of losing the scent.

defect

error

weak point

be at fault

find fault with

geological fault

matter of concern

typing error

be confused

do wrong

make mistake

tattered clothes

bad point

below grade

branching fault

stacking fault

management fault

below proof

break-down

denounce

distributive fault

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/fɔːlt/

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.