fault
/fɔːlt/ (bre, ipa) · /fɔːlt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfȯlt in poetry also ˈfȯt/ (ame, mw) · /fɒlt/ (bre, ipa) · /fɑːlt/ (ame, ipa)
fault — noun
- faultsingular
- faultsplural
1. the state of being the person who caused a problem or made an error.
the state of being the person who caused a problem or made an error.
The car crash was entirely Christopher's fault because he ran a red light.
be + possessive + fault — assigning responsibility
It is not the teacher's fault that the students did not prepare for the exam.
it is + possessive + fault + that-clause
The company admitted fault for the data leak and apologized to its users.
Both drivers shared the fault equally, so neither had to pay the full cost.
- blame
Focuses on who is held responsible rather than the condition of being responsible; 'the blame lies with me' vs 'it's my fault'.
- responsibility
More neutral and formal; can be positive or negative, while 'fault' is always negative.
- guilt
Stronger, implying moral or legal wrongdoing; more serious than 'fault'.
- credit
Recognition for something good, the opposite of blame or fault.
用法筆記
Often appears in fixed expressions: 'be someone's fault' (informal, daily speech) or 'be at fault' (slightly more formal). 'Admit fault' is a formal collocation used in legal or business contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a part of someone's character that is seen as weak, bad, or not good enough.
a part of someone's character that is seen as weak, bad, or not good enough.
Jabari's only fault is that he trusts people far too easily.
possessive + only fault + is that-clause
Everyone has faults, but a good friend accepts you anyway.
Her biggest fault as a manager was that she never listened to her team.
Adina acknowledged her faults and worked hard to become more patient with others.
- weakness
Softer and more neutral than 'fault'; can also refer to non-moral traits.
- defect
More formal and severe; often used for character in literary contexts.
- shortcoming
Implies falling short of a standard; gentler than 'fault'.
常見錯誤
3. an imperfection in a machine, system, or design that keeps it from running corre
an imperfection in a machine, system, or design that keeps it from running correctly.
The engineers found a fault in the braking system of the new train.
fault in — followed by system/machine/design
A small fault in the software caused the entire website to shut down.
Joaquín returned the phone because of a manufacturing fault in its screen.
The bridge collapsed due to a structural fault that nobody had noticed before.
用法筆記
Often used with prepositions 'in' or 'with' (a fault in the design, a fault with the engine). For electronic devices, 'fault' is more technical than 'problem' or 'issue'.
常見錯誤
4. a serve in tennis or similar racket sports that is illegal because the ball land
a serve in tennis or similar racket sports that is illegal because the ball lands outside the correct area of the court.
Samir served two faults in a row and lost the game quickly.
The umpire called a fault when the ball hit the net.
call a fault — official calls the fault
Lucía's serve was strong, but she made too many faults under pressure.
A double fault on match point cost Élise the championship title.
- double fault
Two faults in a row, which loses the point — more specific than a single 'fault'.
- foot fault
A specific type of fault where the server steps on or over the baseline.
- ace
A legal serve that the opponent cannot touch.
用法筆記
Two consecutive faults (a 'double fault') means the server loses the point. In tennis scoring, a fault is not the same as a 'foot fault', which is a rule about foot placement during the serve.
5. used only in the fixed patterns 'be at fault' and 'be someone's fault' to show t
used only in the fixed patterns 'be at fault' and 'be someone's fault' to show that a particular person is the cause of a problem, with no standalone noun use for this meaning.
The delivery was late, but the warehouse was at fault, not the driver.
be at fault — fixed expression for responsibility
It was entirely Rania's fault that the meeting started late.
When the project failed, everyone tried to decide who was at fault.
Jabari admitted that the broken window was his fault and offered to pay.
- to blame
Equivalent phrasing: 'the driver is to blame' = 'the driver is at fault'.
文法句型
be + at + fault
be + possessive + fault
用法筆記
This is an idiomatic sense that always appears in the fixed expressions 'be at fault' (more formal) or 'be someone's fault' (everyday speech). It is not a standalone noun sense — the noun always appears within these phrases.
常見錯誤
6. to keep pointing out what is wrong with someone or something, often in an unfair
to keep pointing out what is wrong with someone or something, often in an unfair or overly critical way.
Her supervisor was always finding fault with her reports, even when they were excellent.
find fault with + object — fixed expression
Maeve told her friend to stop finding fault with every detail of the party plan.
Critics found fault with the film's ending, though they praised the acting.
Samir finds fault with every restaurant we go to, no matter how good the food.
- praise
To express approval — the opposite of finding fault.
文法句型
find + fault + with
用法筆記
Always used in the fixed expression 'find fault with'. The noun 'fault' does not vary — you cannot say 'find a fault with' in this idiomatic sense (that would mean locating a defect, which is sense 3).
常見錯誤
7. a break in the planet's rocky outer layer that has split into two sections and s
a break in the planet's rocky outer layer that has split into two sections and shifted in opposite directions.
The San Andreas Fault is one of the most studied geological features in the world.
Earthquakes often happen along fault lines where tectonic plates meet.
fault line — the visible surface line of a fault
Jisoo's geography class visited a fault zone to examine the rock layers up close.
Geologists mapped a new fault under the ocean floor using special equipment.
- fault line
Refers specifically to the line on the surface where the fault can be seen.
- fracture
A more general term for any break in rock; less specific than 'fault'.
用法筆記
In geology, 'fault' is a technical term. A 'fault line' is the surface trace of a fault, while 'fault zone' refers to the broader area of fractured rock around the main fault.
fault — verb
- faultpresent simple I / you / we / they
- faults3rd person singular
- faulting-ing form
- faultedpast simple
1. to express disapproval of someone or something because you believe they have mad
to express disapproval of someone or something because you believe they have made an error or have a shortcoming.
You cannot fault Christopher for being honest — he told the truth from the start.
cannot fault + person + for + gerund — common pattern
Few people could fault the restaurant's service, though the food was average.
Emma did not fault her colleague for leaving early because the work was already done.
It is hard to fault a plan that saved the company so much money.
- praise
To express approval of someone or something.
文法句型
cannot/could not + fault + someone/something + for + noun/gerund
用法筆記
Used most naturally in negative constructions ('can't fault', 'couldn't fault', 'hard to fault'). Affirmative use ('I fault him for…') sounds formal or old-fashioned. The object can be a person, an action, or a thing.
常見錯誤
2. to serve the ball illegally in tennis or similar racket sports, usually by landi
to serve the ball illegally in tennis or similar racket sports, usually by landing it outside the correct area.
The player faulted twice in a row and lost the point.
intransitive: faulted on serve, lost the point
Ari tends to fault on his first serve when the wind is strong.
If you fault on your second serve, you lose the game immediately.
Lucía faulted three times in one game and grew visibly frustrated.
用法筆記
This verb is domain-specific to tennis and similar racket sports. In everyday English, it is much rarer than the noun sense. Most learners will encounter the noun sense (a fault) more often than the verb (to fault).