Fail vs Fault - What's the difference?

In intransitive terms the difference between fail and fault

is that fail is to receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits while fault is to commit a mistake or error.

In transitive terms the difference between fail and fault

is that fail is to give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour while fault is to criticize, blame or find fault with something or someone.

In obsolete terms the difference between fail and fault

is that fail is to err in judgment; to be mistaken while fault is want; lack.

As an adjective fail

is that is a failure.

fail

English

Verb

(en verb)

(label) To be unsuccessful.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-10, volume=408, issue=8848, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= A new prescription , passage=As the world’s drug habit shows, governments are failing in their quest to monitor every London window-box and Andean hillside for banned plants. But even that Sisyphean task looks easy next to the fight against synthetic drugs. No sooner has a drug been blacklisted than chemists adjust their recipe and start churning out a subtly different one.}}

(label) Not to achieve a particular stated goal. (Usage note: The direct object of this word is usually an infinitive.)

(label) To neglect.

To cease to operate correctly.

(label) To be wanting to, to be insufficient for, to disappoint, to desert.

* Bible, 1 Kings ii. 4

There shall not fail thee a man on the throne.

* 1843 , (Thomas Carlyle), '', book 3, ch. II, ''Gospel of Mammonism

A poor Irish Widow […] went forth with her three children, bare of all resource, to solicit help from the Charitable Establishments of that City. At this Charitable Establishment and then at that she was refused; referred from one to the other, helped by none; — till she had exhausted them all; till her strength and heart failed her: she sank down in typhus-fever […]

, title=The Mirror and the Lamp , chapter=2 citation , passage=That the young Mr. Churchills liked—but they did not like him coming round of an evening and drinking weak whisky-and-water while he held forth on railway debentures and corporation loans. Mr. Barrett, however, by fawning and flattery, seemed to be able to make not only Mrs. Churchill but everyone else do what he desired. And if the arts of humbleness failed him, he overcame you by sheer impudence.}}

(label) To receive one or more non-passing grades in academic pursuits.

(label) To give a student a non-passing grade in an academic endeavour.

To miss attaining; to lose.

* Milton

though that seat of earthly bliss be failed

To be wanting; to fall short; to be or become deficient in any measure or degree up to total absence.

The crops failed last year.

* Bible, Job xiv. 11

as the waters fail from the sea

* Shakespeare

Till Lionel's issue fails , his should not reign.

(archaic) To be affected with want; to come short; to lack; to be deficient or unprovided; used with of .

* Berke

If ever they fail of beauty, this failure is not be attributed to their size.

(archaic) To fall away; to become diminished; to decline; to decay; to sink.

* Milton

When earnestly they seek / Such proof, conclude they then begin to fail .

(archaic) To deteriorate in respect to vigour, activity, resources, etc.; to become weaker.

A sick man fails .

(obsolete) To perish; to die; used of a person.

* Shakespeare

had the king in his last sickness failed

(obsolete) To err in judgment; to be mistaken.

* Milton

Which ofttimes may succeed, so as perhaps / Shall grieve him, if I fail not.

To become unable to meet one's engagements; especially, to be unable to pay one's debts or discharge one's business obligation; to become bankrupt or insolvent.

Usage notes

* This is a catenative verb which takes the to infinitive . See

Synonyms

* (to be unsuccessful) fall on one's face

Antonyms

* (to be unsuccessful) succeed

Derived terms

* failure * fail-safe

Noun

(uncountable) (label) Poor quality; substandard workmanship.

The project was full of fail .

(label) A failure (condition of being unsuccessful)

A failure (something incapable of success)

A failure, especially of a financial transaction (a termination of an action).

A failing grade in an academic examination.

Adjective

(en adjective)

That is a failure.

References

* * *

Anagrams

* English control verbs English ergative verbs 1000 English basic words ----

fault

English

Noun

(en noun)

A defect; something that detracts from perfection.

* Shakespeare

As patches set upon a little breach / Discredit more in hiding of the fault .

A mistake or error.

No!. This is my fault, not yours

A weakness of character; a failing.

For all her faults , she's a good person at heart.

A minor offense.

Blame; the responsibility for a mistake.

The fault lies with you.

(seismology) A fracture in a rock formation causing a discontinuity.

(mining) In coal seams, coal rendered worthless by impurities in the seam.

slate fault''', dirt '''fault , etc.

(Raymond)

(tennis) An illegal serve.

(electrical) An abnormal connection in a circuit.

(obsolete) want; lack

* Shakespeare

one, it pleases me, for fault of a better, to call my friend

(hunting) A lost scent; act of losing the scent.

* Shakespeare

Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled, / With much ado, the cold fault clearly out.

Derived terms

* at fault * double fault * to a fault

Synonyms

* See also

Verb

(en verb)

To criticize, blame or find fault with something or someone.

* Traditional song

For that I will not fault thee / But for humbleness exalt thee.

(geology) To fracture.

To commit a mistake or error.

(computing) To undergo a page fault.

* 2002 , Æleen Frisch, Essential system administration

When a page is read in, a few pages surrounding the faulted page are typically loaded as well in the same I/O operation in an effort to head off future page faults.