fault

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
fault /fɔːlt, fɒlt/

▶noun

• 1 an unattractive or unsatisfactory feature; a defect or mistake.

  ■ (in tennis and similar games) a service of the ball not in accordance with the rules.

• 2 responsibility for an accident or misfortune.

• 3 Geology an extended break in a rock formation, marked by the relative displacement and discontinuity of strata.

▶verb

• 1 criticize for inadequacy or mistakes.

  ■ archaic do wrong.

• 2 (be faulted) Geology be broken by a fault or faults.

– phrases
at fault

• 1 in the wrong.

• 2 defective.

find fault make a criticism or objection, sometimes unfairly.
—— to a fault displaying the specified commendable quality to an almost excessive extent: he was generous to a fault.

– derivatives
faultless adjective,
faultlessly adverb,
faultlessness noun.

– origin ME faut(e) ‘lack, failing’, from OFr., based on L. fallere ‘deceive’; -l- added to conform with L.