From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishfaultfault1 /fɔːlt $ fɒːlt/ ●●● S2 W3 noun [countable] 1 responsible for mistakeFAULT/BE somebody'S FAULT if something bad that has happened is your fault, you should be blamed for it, because you made a mistake or failed to do something I’m really sorry – it’s all my fault.be somebody’s fault (that) It’s your fault we’re late. I didn’t sleep well that night, but it was my own fault.be somebody’s fault for doing something It’s my fault for not making your new job clearer.2 → at fault3 something wrong with something a) FAULT/something WRONGsomething that is wrong with a machine, system, design etc, which prevents it from working properly a design faultfault in It sounds as if there’s a fault in one of the loudspeakers. b) FAULT/something WRONGsomething that is wrong with something, which could be improved SYN flaw There are two serious faults in Hobsbawm’s discussion of nationalism. For all its faults (=in spite of its faults) we love this city. c) FAULT/something WRONGa mistake in the way that something was made, which spoils its appearancefault in The sweater had a fault in it and I had to take it back.4 somebody’s characterCHARACTER/PERSONALITY a bad or weak part of someone’s character His worst fault is his arrogance. I may have my faults, but ingratitude is not one of them. For all his faults (=in spite of his faults) he was a good father.5 → through no fault of her/my etc own6 crackHEG a large crack in the rocks that form the Earth’s surface the San Andreas fault7 → generous/loyal/honest etc to a fault8 tennisDST a mistake made when a player is serving the ball in tennis → double fault, loyal, → find fault with somebody/something at find1(14)THESAURUS – Meaning 3: something wrongfault a problem in a machine, system, design etc that causes damage or makes it not work properlyThe fire was caused by an electrical fault.a fault in the engine defect a fault in something such as a product or machine, resulting from the way it was made or designedCars are tested for defects before they leave the factory.weakness a part of a plan, system, or argument that is not as good as the other parts, and makes it likely to failWhat are the strengths and weaknesses of each method?flaw a fault in a plan, system, argument etc, especially one that makes it useless or not effectiveYour argument has a fundamental flaw.There was one major flaw in his suggestion – we didn’t have enough money.bug a fault in a computer programA bug in the system was quickly fixed.glitch a small fault in the way something works, that can usually be easily correctedI noticed a small glitch when installing the software.mistake something that is wrong in someone’s spelling, grammar, calculations etcThe article was full of spelling mistakes.there’s something wrong with something used when saying that there is a problem in a machine, car etc, but you do not know what it isThere’s something wrong with the computer – it won’t close down.
Examples from the Corpus
fault• I think there's a fault in one of the loudspeakers.• It was a fault of his.• The San Andreas fault runs right through the middle of this valley.• Quality control staff are employed to check for any faults.• Put in this way, management of the economy seems to have been grossly at fault.• It is a character fault, what am I taking about?• They believe an electricity fault was the cause.• Check the ignition system for faults.• She's my best friend and I love her dearly, but she has her faults.• For all his faults, he was a good father.• Denney is aware of his faults.• Despite its faults, the novel is suspenseful.• And he was right, of course, it was all my fault, I was a long-haired hippie agnostic.• The secret of a good relationship is to accept the other person's faults, and not try to make them change.• The rocket launch was delayed because of a technical fault.• In particular this would support litigation which is not the fault of the parties to it, yet involves them in cost.• The fault could be either in the tape or in the VCR.• Moreover, the back limbs of such folds may become detached along major thrust faults to produce nappes.be somebody’s fault for doing something• Somehow, people seem to think it's my fault for letting him in.• If she didn't like it then it was her fault for rocking the boat.• It was his own fault for having been conceited enough to be pleasant to her on the morning of the read-through.• Lugar doesn't accept that Republicans in Congress are principally at fault for lagging U.S. participation in world affairs.• Obviously, the Nimbus pilot was at fault for allowing the other people at the launch point to influence his judgement.• That was your own fault for trying to make me get back into the car.• The message seemed to be that women who are raped are at fault for not having successfully avoided it.• There was nothing wrong with the jumper and legally it is her fault for not checking the size.For all ... faults• For all George's faults he was not a murderer.• However, even Charmley can not avoid the conclusion that Churchill for all his faults was a great man.• Democracy, for all its faults, should continue.• Finally, for all its faults, the summit process does mean that the G8 can be held to account.• Confess your unworthy behaviour and beg his honour's forgiveness for all your faults.• Because Kate, for all her faults real and imagined, was the only person ever to take him at face value.• Yes, people like G.P., for all his faults.• Equally, the unions, for all their faults, remain, perhaps, the last mass organisation in the country.For all ... faults• For all George's faults he was not a murderer.• However, even Charmley can not avoid the conclusion that Churchill for all his faults was a great man.• Democracy, for all its faults, should continue.• Finally, for all its faults, the summit process does mean that the G8 can be held to account.• Confess your unworthy behaviour and beg his honour's forgiveness for all your faults.• Because Kate, for all her faults real and imagined, was the only person ever to take him at face value.• Yes, people like G.P., for all his faults.• Equally, the unions, for all their faults, remain, perhaps, the last mass organisation in the country.faultfault2 verb [transitive] CRITICIZEto criticize someone or something for a mistakebe faulted on/for something The judge cannot be faulted on his decision.it is hard/difficult to fault somebody/something You might not like O'Donnel’s arrogance, but it’s hard to fault what he does on the field.Grammar Fault is often used in the passive.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
fault• Even his serve, which he does not really rate as a weapon, could hardly have been faulted.• The sedimentary rocks, with their coal seams, have been folded and faulted.• The Mars project has been faulted by some scientists who say it has little research value.• Who could fault him for doing what had to be done to protect the lives of potential presidents?• Here again, one must fault Ricci on his treatment of Buddhism.• I couldn't really fault the Stylus 800.• He also faulted them for not checking to make sure that contractors doing business with the city employ women and minorities.• While it is difficult to fault this book, a list of abbreviations would have been a useful addition.it is hard/difficult to fault somebody/something• While it is difficult to fault this book, a list of abbreviations would have been a useful addition.From Longman Business Dictionaryfaultfault /fɔːltfɒːlt/ noun [countable]1MANUFACTURINGsomething that is wrong with a machine, system etc that prevents it from working correctlyfault inSoviet engineers identified 32 design faults in the reactor, any of which could have led to an explosion.2MANUFACTURINGa mistake in the way something is made, that spoils its appearanceSYNFLAWThe sweater had a fault in it and I had to take it back.3LAW the responsibility of a person or organization for damage or injury to someone, or for a criminal actThe borrowers were at fault for signing fraudulent applications.4LAW no-fault used to talk about arrangements where it is not necessary to prove that someone was at fault for the person who was injured or hurt to receive moneyno-fault systems for medical malpractice cases that would provide limited but guaranteed benefitsno-fault auto insuranceOrigin fault1 (1200-1300) Old French faute, from Latin fallere; → FAIL1 