fault English · revision 4138

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1280|origins=la fallere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fɔːlt/, /fɒlt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|faute]], faulte,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|faute|t=opening, gap; failure, flaw; lack, deficiency]], earlier falte,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la-vul|*fallita|t=a shortcoming, falling]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) the noun use of the feminine of *fallitus, which replaced Latin falsus as the past participle of [[m|la|fallere|t=to deceive, disappoint]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) The -l- was restored in the 15th and 16th centuries in imitation of Latin,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) but was silent until the 18th century: in Pope and Swift fault rhymes with thought, and Johnson (1755) said the l was not heard in conversation.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[fail]], [[false]] and [[default]].^(Hoad 1986)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “Deficiency, lack, scarcity”: about 1280 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) before 1300 in the OED^(OED 1989) and the late 13th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A physical defect or imperfection is from the early 14th century,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) about 1320 in the OED,^(OED 1989) and moral culpability, milder than sin or vice but more serious than an error, from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The tennis fault (about 1600) is closer to the root sense.^(Etymonline) ''To a fault'', to excess, is from 1752.^(OED 1989) The geological sense, a break in rock strata, is from 1796.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The verb, “to be deficient”, is Scottish, about 1375,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and “to find fault with, blame” is from about 1450.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) ''Faulty'' is from about 1380.^(Barnhart 1988) In Scottish, Irish and English dialect, faut was still common.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1280 – lack, deficiency.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1320 – a defect.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1375 – verb, to be lacking.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – moral culpability.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1450 – verb, to blame.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – in tennis.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1796 – in geology.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A weakness of character, especially a minor one.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A defect or imperfection; a [[flaw]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A mistake or error; a minor offence.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Responsibility for a mistake or offence; [[blame]]: ''it's my fault''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In geology, a fracture in rock along which one side has moved relative to the other.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In tennis and similar games, a serve that is not good.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In electricity, a defect in a circuit.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To find fault with; to [[criticize]] or blame.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To produce a fault in, or to shift so as to produce one.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[faultfinder]]

+ * [[faultfinding]]

+ * [[faultless]]

+ * [[fault-tolerant]]

+ * [[faulty]]

+ * [[footfault]]

+ * [[no-fault]]

+ * [[postfault]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[default]]

+ * [[fail]]

+ * [[false]]

+ * [[failure]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage distinguishes fault, a trait that detracts from moral excellence, from failing, weakness, frailty, foible, vice, blame and blemish.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}