Fault

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) A defective point in an electric circuit due to a crossing of the parts of the conductor, or to contact with another conductor or the earth, or to a break in the circuit.

(2): ( n.) A dislocation caused by a slipping of rock masses along a plane of facture; also, the dislocated structure resulting from such slipping.

(3): ( v. i.) To err; to blunder, to commit a fault; to do wrong.

(4): ( n.) Defect; want; lack; default.

(5): ( n.) Anything that fails, that is wanting, or that impairs excellence; a failing; a defect; a blemish.

(6): ( n.) A moral failing; a defect or dereliction from duty; a deviation from propriety; an offense less serious than a crime.

(7): ( n.) A dislocation of the strata of the vein.

(8): ( n.) In coal seams, coal rendered worthless by impurities in the seam; as, slate fault, dirt fault, etc.

(9): ( n.) A lost scent; act of losing the scent.

(10): ( n.) Failure to serve the ball into the proper court.

(11): ( v. t.) To interrupt the continuity of (rock strata) by displacement along a plane of fracture; - chiefly used in the p. p.; as, the coal beds are badly faulted.

(12): ( v. t.) To charge with a fault; to accuse; to find fault with; to blame.

King James Dictionary

Fault, n. See Fail.

1. Properly, an erring or missing a failing hence, an error or mistake a blunder a defect a blemish whatever impairs excellence applied to things. 2. In morals or deportment, any error or defect an imperfection any deviation from propriety a slight offense a neglect of duty or propriety, resulting from inattention or want of prudence, rather than from design to injure or offend, but liable to censure or objection.

I do remember my faults this day.  Genesis 41 .

If a man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual, restore such as one in the spirit of meekness.  Galatians 6 .

Fault implies wrong, and often some degree of criminality.

3. Defect want absence. Not now used. See Default.

I could tell to thee, as to one if pleases me, for fault of a better to call my friend.

4. Puzzle difficulty.

Among sportsmen, when dogs lose the scent, they are said to be at fault. Hence the phrase, the inquirer is at fault.

5. In mining, a fissure in strata, causing a dislocation of the same, and thus interrupting the course of veins.

To find fault, to express blame to complain.

Thou wilt say then, why doth he yet find fault?  Romans 9 .

To find fault with, to blame to censure as, to find fault with the times, or with a neighbor's conduct.

Fault, To fail to be wrong. Not used.

Fault, To charge with a fault to accuse.

For that I will not fault thee.

Charles Buck Theological Dictionary

A slight defect or crime which subjects a person to blame, but not to punishment; a deviation from, or transgression of a rule in some trifling circumstance.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

fôlt ( חטא , ḥāṭā'  ; αἰτία , aitı́a , μέμφομαι , mémphomai ): Implies defect, of less moral weight than crime or sin. It is the translation of ḥāṭā' , "error," "failure," "sin" ( Exodus 5:16 ); of ḥēṭ' , same meaning ( Genesis 41:9 , "I do remember my faults this day"); of ‛āwōn , "perversity," "iniquity" ( 2 Samuel 3:8;  Psalm 59:4 ); of rish‛āh , "wrongness," "wickedness" ( Deuteronomy 25:2 , the Revised Version (British and American) "wickedness"); of sheḥath (Aramaic) "corruption" ( Daniel 6:4 twice); me'ūmāh , "anything" ( 1 Samuel 29:3 , "no fault in him," literally, "not anything"); of aitia , "cause," "case," "guilt," ( John 18:38;  John 19:4 ,  John 19:6; Pilate of Jesus, "I find no fault in him," the Revised Version (British and American) "no crime"; the same word is rendered "accusation," i.e. 'legal cause for prosecution,'  Matthew 27:37;  Mark 15:26; compare  Acts 25:18 ,  Acts 25:27 ); of aı́tion , same meaning ( Luke 23:4 ,  Luke 23:14;  Luke 23:22 , aition thanátou "cause of death"); of hḗttēma , "a worse condition," "defect" ( 1 Corinthians 6:7 , the Revised Version (British and American) "a defect," margin "a loss to you"); of paráptōma , "a falling aside" ( Galatians 6:1 , "If a man be overtaken in fault," the Revised Version (British and American) "in any trespass," margin "by";  James 5:16 , "Confess your faults one to another," the Revised Version (British and American) "Confess therefore your sins one to another"); hamartánō , "to miss," "err," "sin," is translated "your faults" ( 1 Peter 2:20 the Revised Version (British and American), "when ye sin"); memphomai , "to blame," is translated "to find fault" ( Mark 7:2 omitted the Revised Version (British and American);   Romans 9:19;  Hebrews 8:8 ); elégchō , "to convict," "to tell one's fault" ( Matthew 18:15 , the Revised Version (British and American) "show him his fault"); ámōmos , "without blemish," "spotless," is translated "without fault" ( Revelation 14:5 , the Revised Version (British and American) "without blemish," "faultless";  Judges 1:24 , "able to present you faultless," the Revised Version (British and American) "without blemish"); ámemptos , "blameless," "without reproach" ( Hebrews 8:7 , "for if that first covenant had been faultless"). "Faulty" is the translation of 'āshēm , "guilty" ( 2 Samuel 14:13 , "as one which is faulty," the Revised Version (British and American) "guilty"); of 'āsham , "to be or become guilty" ( Hosea 10:2 , Revised Version "guilty").