fault
B1Neutral to formal. Common in everyday, technical, and legal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A defect, flaw, or imperfection; responsibility for a mistake or problem.
A crack or break in the Earth's crust (geology); a serve that fails to land correctly in the designated court (tennis).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Core meanings revolve around 'defect' and 'responsibility'. The 'responsibility' meaning is central in phrases like 'it's my fault' and 'find fault with'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage largely identical. In tennis, the term is identical. Minor lexical preference: 'find fault with' (slightly more formal UK) vs. 'blame' (more common US for direct accusation).
Connotations
Similar connotations of blame, imperfection, and geological feature.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to be at faultto find fault with [someone/something]it is [someone's] fault that...through no fault of [one's own]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to a fault (excessively)”
- “find fault with”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to defects in products, system failures, or assigning responsibility for a project delay.
Academic
Used in geology (tectonic faults), engineering (system faults), and literary criticism (character flaws).
Everyday
Used to assign blame or admit responsibility for mistakes ('It's my fault we're late').
Technical
In computing/engineering: a malfunction. In geology: a fracture in rock.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- One cannot fault the staff for their excellent service.
- The inspector faulted the wiring installation.
American English
- You can't fault her dedication to the project.
- The report faulted the company for lax safety procedures.
adverb
British English
- This word is rarely used as an adverb. The phrase 'to a fault' functions adverbially.
American English
- This word is rarely used as an adverb. The phrase 'to a fault' functions adverbially.
adjective
British English
- He is generous to a fault.
- The fault line was clearly visible on the geological survey.
American English
- She is honest to a fault.
- The San Andreas Fault system is extensively monitored.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It's not your fault.
- The car has a technical fault.
- She admitted the fault was hers.
- They found a major fault in the design.
- The earthquake occurred along a previously unknown fault line.
- He is meticulous to a fault, which sometimes slows the work.
- The court ruled that the manufacturer was principally at fault for the accident.
- Critics were quick to find fault with the government's handling of the crisis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'FAULT' as 'Found At Ultimate Liability Terrain' – where the blame or break is ultimately located.
Conceptual Metaphor
MISTAKES/ PROBLEMS ARE CRACKS IN A SURFACE ('crack under pressure', 'fault line in an argument').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'вина' (guilt) as 'fault' in all emotional/legal contexts; 'fault' is more neutral. 'Дефект' is closer for 'defect' meaning. 'Ошибка' is better for a simple mistake, not a flaw.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'fault' as a verb where 'blame' is needed (e.g., 'I fault him' is rare/formal; 'I blame him' is standard). Confusing 'my fault' with 'my mistake' (the latter is less accusatory).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The geologist studied the active _____', which meaning of 'fault' is most likely?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but in 'generous to a fault', it describes a positive quality carried to an excessive degree.
'Fault' often implies responsibility for failure. 'Flaw' suggests an inherent imperfection affecting quality. 'Defect' is a more technical term for a malfunction or imperfection, especially in manufacturing.
Yes, but it's more formal (e.g., 'You can't fault his logic'). In everyday speech, 'blame' or 'criticize' are more common.
It means 'responsible for a mistake or problem', often used in legal or formal contexts (e.g., 'The driver was found at fault for the collision').