fault /fɔ:lt/ n. ［c］ 1.错误，缺陷，缺点，毛病： The faults in the manuscript have been corrected. 手稿中的错误已得到改正。 Every man has his faults. 人孰无过。/人无完人，金无足赤。at fault 做错事：Her doctor was at fault for/in not sending her straight to a specialist.她医生没有把她直接转给专科医生是一个错误。2.责任，应该怪：Whose fault is it but hers? 不怪她怪谁呢? find fault (with) 找(某人的)错；挑毛病： ［考句］ His wife is constantly finding fault with him, which makes him very angry.他老婆老是对他挑剔，这使他非常生气。
［辨析］fault常指内在的性质影响完美形象的缺陷。flaw6用法最为普遍，既可指表面的缺陷，也可指内里的问题，由于它的存在而破坏了完好的统一体。defect指严重毛病，使机器等无法正常运转，使人失去理智。shortcoming较多用于不合要求的性格，但并不破坏优点和整体形象。
faulty /ˈfɔ:lti/ adj. 有毛病，错误的：The switch may be faulty. 开关可能有问题。The accident was caused by faulty brakes. 事故是由于闸不灵所致。
