fault

1 noun (C)

1 RESPONSIBLE FOR MISTAKE be sb's fault if something bad that has happened is someone's fault, they should be blamed for it, because they made a mistake or failed to do something: I'm really sorry - it's all my fault. | be sb's own fault: She failed the test but it was her own fault, she didn't do any work. | be sb's fault (that): It's not my fault that the brakes didn't work properly. | be sb's fault for doing sth: He lost his job, but it was his own fault for telling lies.

2 at fault if a particular person, organization, or system is at fault, they are responsible for something bad that has happened: The police said that the other driver was at fault - he should have slowed down.

3 STH WRONG WITH STH

a) something that is wrong with a machine, system, design etc, which prevents it from working properly: a design fault

(+ in): It sounds like there's a fault in one of the loudspeakers.

b) something that is wrong with something, which could be improved: I suppose the book's worst fault is its total lack of good taste. | for all its faults (=in spite of its faults): The treaty was a great achievement for all its faults.

c) a mistake in the way that something was made, which spoils its appearance

(+ in): The sweater had a fault in it and I had to take it back.

4 SB'S CHARACTER a bad or weak part of someone's character: His worst fault is his arrogance. | I really like Sarah, but she does have her faults. | for all his/her etc faults (=in spite of someone's faults): For all his faults he was a good father.

5 find fault with to criticize someone or something and complain about them: I wish you'd stop trying to find fault with everything I do.

6 through no fault of her/my etc own used to say that something bad that happened to someone was not caused by them: Through no fault of her own, Lisa lost her job.

7 CRACK a large crack in the rocks that form the Earth's surface

8 generous/kind etc to a fault extremely generous, kind etc: Generous to a fault, Mr Samson agreed to provide the necessary equipment free of charge.

9 TENNIS a mistake made when a player is serving (serve1 (10))

2 verb (T) to find a mistake in something : cannot fault sth: Richards gave a superb performance which could not be faulted. | be hard/difficult to fault: His cooking's excellent - it's hard to fault.