fault
Definitions
Responsibility for an error or problem; the cause of something going wrong.
过错；责任；某事出错的原因。
A defect, flaw, or weakness in something or someone.
缺陷；毛病；弱点。
A crack in the earth's crust where blocks of rock have shifted (geology).
（地质）断层。
To criticize someone or something; to find fault with.
挑剔；指责；找毛病。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedFrom Latin fallere 'to fail/deceive,' via French faulte 'deficiency.' At its core a fault is a failure — which is why one word covers a defect (where something failed), blame (whose failure it was), and criticism (pointing out failures).
Root fault still carries 4 more wordsWhy It Means This
All the senses share one buried idea — failure. A fault is a place or moment where something fell short: a defect (failed to work), blame (failed to do right), or the geological fault (the ground failed and slipped). Even 'find fault' means 'spot the failures.'
Usage Guide
Key patterns: it's (not) my/your fault (blame); find fault with someone (criticize habitually); at fault = responsible (the driver was at fault); to a fault = excessively, in a praising way (generous to a fault).
Example Sentences
- 1.
The accident wasn't her fault; the brakes had failed.
- 2.
His only fault is that he works too hard.
- 3.
Earthquakes often occur along major geological faults.
- 4.
It's hard to fault his careful, honest reporting.
Easily Confused
fault vs mistake: a mistake is a single wrong action or decision (I made a mistake). A fault is either a lasting defect (a fault in the engine) or the blame for something (it's my fault). You make a mistake; you have a fault or are at fault.
Synonym Comparison
- fault — a defect, or the blame for something going wrong
- flaw — an imperfection, often in character or design
- defect — a fault in manufacture or structure (formal)
- mistake — a single wrong action or judgment
- error — a deviation from what is correct (formal/technical)