fault

/ˈfȯlt/

Middle English faute, falte, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *fallita, from feminine of fallitus, past participle of Latin fallere to deceive, disappoint

noun

  1. weakness, failing; especially : a moral weakness less serious than a vice

  2. a physical or intellectual imperfection or impairment : defect

  3. an error especially in service in a net or racket game

a theory with some serious faults

fault failing frailty foible vice mean an imperfection or weakness of character. fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in disposition, action, or habit. failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character.

verb

  1. to find a fault in

  2. blame, censure

  3. to produce a geologic fault in

easy to praise this book and to fault it

noun

  1. something resembling a fault : split, rift

a major conceptual fault line in foreign policy