fault

Noun

• (sports) a serve that is illegal (e.g., that lands outside the prescribed area)
  • he served too many double faults
    

• responsibility for a bad situation or event
  • it was John's fault
    

• (electronics) equipment failure attributable to some defect in a circuit (loose connection or insulation failure or short circuit etc.)
  • it took much longer to find the fault than to fix it
    

• (geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
  • they built it right over a geological fault
    
  • he studied the faulting of the earth's crust
    

• the quality of being inadequate or falling short of perfection
  • they discussed the merits and demerits of her novel
    
  • he knew his own faults much better than she did
    

• an imperfection in an object or machine
  • a flaw caused the crystal to shatter
    
  • if there are any defects you should send it back to the manufacturer
    

• a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
  • he made a bad mistake
    
  • she was quick to point out my errors
    
  • I could understand his English in spite of his grammatical faults
    

Verb

• put or pin the blame on

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  faulting , geological fault , shift , fracture , break , demerit , defect , flaw , mistake , error , blame
• Antonyms: 
  merit , virtue , absolve , justify , free