a defect or imperfection; flaw; failing

a fault in the brakes; a fault in one's character.

responsibility for failure or a wrongful act

It is my fault that we have not finished.

an error or mistake

a fault in addition.

a misdeed or transgression

to confess one's faults.

Sports . (in tennis, handball, etc.)

a ball that when served does not land in the proper section of an opponent's court.

a failure to serve the ball according to the rules, as from within a certain area.

Geology, Mining . a break in the continuity of a body of rock or of a vein, with dislocation along the plane of the fracture (fault plane).

Manège . (of a horse jumping in a show) any of a number of improper executions in negotiating a jump, as a tick, knockdown, refusal, or run-out.

Electricity . a partial or total local failure in the insulation or continuity of a conductor or in the functioning of an electric system.

Hunting . a break in the line of scent; a losing of the scent; check.

Obsolete . lack; want.

to commit a fault; blunder; err.

Geology . to undergo faulting.

Geology . to cause a fault in.

to find fault with, blame, or censure. ?

at fault

open to censure; blameworthy

to be at fault for a mistake.

in a dilemma; puzzled

to be at fault as to where to go.

(of hounds) unable to find the scent.

find fault

to seek and make known defects or flaws; complain; criticize

He constantly found fault with my behavior.

to a fault

to an extreme degree; excessively

She was generous to a fault.

noun

advantage , benefit , blessing , correctness , good , perfection , soundness , strength , beauty , impeccability , merit

noun

accountability , answerability , blunder , crime , culpability , defect , delinquency , dereliction , error , evil doing , failing , flaw , foible , frailty , guilt , impropriety , inaccuracy , indiscretion , infirmity , lapse , liability , loss of innocence , malfeasance , malpractice , misconduct , miscue , misdeed , misdemeanor , negligence , offense , omission , onus , oversight , peccancy , responsibility , slip , slip-up * , solecism , transgression , trespass , vice , weakness , wrong , wrongdoing , blemish , debility , deficiency , demerit , imperfection , lack , pimple , shortcoming , weak point , zit * , bug , blame , captiousness , catachresis , culpa , cynicism , default , dislocation , drawback , dysfunction , flub , glitch , mistake , neglect , paralogism , peccadillo , scrupulosity , sin , veniality

verb

censure , criticize , rap