• (RP) IPA: /fɔːlt/, /fɒlt/
• (America) IPA: /fɔlt/
• (cot-caught) IPA: /fɑlt/

fault (plural faults)

1. A defect; something that detracts from perfection.
   • c. 1596, William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene ii]:

     As 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

8. (tennis) An illegal serve.
9. (electrical) An abnormal connection in a circuit.
10. (obsolete) want; lack
    • c. 1597, William Shakespeare, “The Merry VViues of VVindsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene iv]:

      one, it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call my friend

11. (hunting) A lost scent; act of losing the scent.
    • RQ

• See also Thesaurus:defect

• default

• French: défaut
• German: Fehler
• Italian: colpa, imperfezione
• Portuguese: defeito, falha
• Russian: дефе́кт
• Spanish: defecto, falla

• French: faute
• German: Schuld
• Italian: colpa
• Portuguese: culpa
• Russian: вина́

• Italian: sbaglio

• French: faute
• Italian: colpa, biasimo
• Spanish: culpa

• French: faille, faute
• German: Bruchlinie
• Italian: fessura, crepa, frattura, faglia
• Portuguese: falha
• Russian: разлом
• Spanish: falla

• Spanish: falta

fault (faults, present participle faulting; past and past participle faulted)

1. (transitive) To criticize, blame or find fault with something or someone.

   • For 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 administration

     When 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.