catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Fault \Fault\, n. [OE. faut, faute, F. faute (cf. It., Sp., &
     Pg. falta), fr. a verb meaning to want, fail, freq., fr. L.
     fallere to deceive. See Fail, and cf. Default.]
     1. Defect; want; lack; default.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              One, it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call
              my friend.                            --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Anything that fails, that is wanting, or that impairs
        excellence; a failing; a defect; a blemish.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              As patches set upon a little breach
              Discredit more in hiding of the fault. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A moral failing; a defect or dereliction from duty; a
        deviation from propriety; an offense less serious than a
        crime.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Geol. & Mining)
        (a) A dislocation of the strata of the vein.
        (b) In coal seams, coal rendered worthless by impurities
            in the seam; as, slate fault, dirt fault, etc.
            --Raymond.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     5. (Hunting) A lost scent; act of losing the scent.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled,
              With much ado, the cold fault cleary out. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. (Tennis) Failure to serve the ball into the proper court.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     7. (Elec.) A defective point in an electric circuit due to a
        crossing of the parts of the conductor, or to contact with
        another conductor or the earth, or to a break in the
        circuit.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     8. (Geol. & Mining) A dislocation caused by a slipping of
        rock masses along a plane of facture; also, the dislocated
        structure resulting from such slipping.
  
     Note: The surface along which the dislocated masses have
           moved is called the
  
     fault plane. When this plane is vertical, the fault is a
  
     vertical fault; when its inclination is such that the
        present relative position of the two masses could have
        been produced by the sliding down, along the fault plane,
        of the mass on its upper side, the fault is a
  
     normal fault, or gravity fault. When the fault plane is
        so inclined that the mass on its upper side has moved up
        relatively, the fault is then called a
  
     reverse fault (or reversed fault), thrust fault, or
     overthrust fault. If no vertical displacement has resulted,
        the fault is then called a
  
     horizontal fault. The linear extent of the dislocation
        measured on the fault plane and in the direction of
        movement is the
  
     displacement; the vertical displacement is the
  
     throw; the horizontal displacement is the
  
     heave. The direction of the line of intersection of the
        fault plane with a horizontal plane is the
  
     trend of the fault. A fault is a
  
     strike fault when its trend coincides approximately with
        the strike of associated strata (i.e., the line of
        intersection of the plane of the strata with a horizontal
        plane); it is a
  
     dip fault when its trend is at right angles to the strike;
        an
  
     oblique fault when its trend is oblique to the strike.
        Oblique faults and dip faults are sometimes called
  
     cross faults. A series of closely associated parallel
        faults are sometimes called
  
     step faults and sometimes
  
     distributive faults.
        [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  
     At fault, unable to find the scent and continue chase;
        hence, in trouble or embarrassment, and unable to proceed;
        puzzled; thrown off the track.
  
     To find fault, to find reason for blaming or complaining;
        to express dissatisfaction; to complain; -- followed by
        with before the thing complained of; but formerly by at.
        ``Matter to find fault at.'' --Robynson (More's Utopia).
  
     Syn: -- Error; blemish; defect; imperfection; weakness;
          blunder; failing; vice.
  
     Usage: Fault, Failing, Defect, Foible. A fault is
            positive, something morally wrong; a failing is
            negative, some weakness or falling short in a man's
            character, disposition, or habits; a defect is also
            negative, and as applied to character is the absence
            of anything which is necessary to its completeness or
            perfection; a foible is a less important weakness,
            which we overlook or smile at. A man may have many
            failings, and yet commit but few faults; or his faults
            and failings may be few, while his foibles are obvious
            to all. The faults of a friend are often palliated or
            explained away into mere defects, and the defects or
            foibles of an enemy exaggerated into faults. ``I have
            failings in common with every human being, besides my
            own peculiar faults; but of avarice I have generally
            held myself guiltless.'' --Fox. ``Presumption and
            self-applause are the foibles of mankind.''
            --Waterland.
            [1913 Webster]

  Fault \Fault\, n. [OE. faut, faute, F. faute (cf. It., Sp., &
     Pg. falta), fr. a verb meaning to want, fail, freq., fr. L.
     fallere to deceive. See Fail, and cf. Default.]
     1. Defect; want; lack; default.
  
              One, it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call
              my friend.                            --Shak.
  
     2. Anything that fails, that is wanting, or that impairs
        excellence; a failing; a defect; a blemish.
  
              As patches set upon a little breach Discredit more
              in hiding of the fault.               --Shak.
  
     3. A moral failing; a defect or dereliction from duty; a
        deviation from propriety; an offense less serious than a
        crime.
  
     4. (Geol. & Mining)
        (a) A dislocation of the strata of the vein.
        (b) In coal seams, coal rendered worthless by impurities
            in the seam; as, slate fault, dirt fault, etc.
            --Raymond.
  
     5. (Hunting) A lost scent; act of losing the scent.
  
              Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled,
              With much ado, the cold fault cleary out. --Shak.
  
     6. (Tennis) Failure to serve the ball into the proper court.
  
     At fault, unable to find the scent and continue chase;
        hence, in trouble or embarrassment, and unable to proceed;
        puzzled; thrown off the track.
  
     To find fault, to find reason for blaming or complaining;
        to express dissatisfaction; to complain; -- followed by
        with before the thing complained of; but formerly by at.
        ``Matter to find fault at.'' --Robynson (More's Utopia).
  
     Syn: -- Error; blemish; defect; imperfection; weakness;
          blunder; failing; vice.
  
     Usage: Fault, Failing, Defect, Foible. A fault is
            positive, something morally wrong; a failing is
            negative, some weakness or falling short in a man's
            character, disposition, or habits; a defect is also
            negative, and as applied to character is the absence
            of anything which is necessary to its completeness or
            perfection; a foible is a less important weakness,
            which we overlook or smile at. A man may have many
            failings, and yet commit but few faults; or his faults
            and failings may be few, while his foibles are obvious
            to all. The faults of a friend are often palliated or
            explained away into mere defects, and the defects or
            foibles of an enemy exaggerated into faults. ``I have
            failings in common with every human being, besides my
            own peculiar faults; but of avarice I have generally
            held myself guiltless.'' --Fox. ``Presumption and
            self-applause are the foibles of mankind.''
            --Waterland.