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Fault vs Blemish - What's the difference?

fault | blemish | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between fault and blemish

is that fault is a defect; something that detracts from perfection while blemish is a small flaw which spoils the appearance of something, a stain, a spot.

As verbs the difference between fault and blemish

is that fault is to criticize, blame or find fault with something or someone while blemish is to spoil the appearance of.

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.

    blemish

    English

    Noun

    (es)
  • A small flaw which spoils the appearance of something, a stain, a spot.
  • * 1769 , Oxford Standard Text, , 22, xix,
    • Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish , of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.
  • * 1997 , Jean Soler, 5: The Semiotics of Food in the Bible'', Carole Counihan, Penny Van Esterik (editors), ''Food and Culture: A Reader , page 61,
    • Any foot shape deviating from this model is conceived as a blemish , and the animal is unclean.
  • * 2003 , A. K. Forrest, Chapter 6: Surface Defect Detection on Ceramics'', Mark Graves, Bruce Batchelor (editors), ''Machine Vision for the Inspection of Natural Products , page 193,
    • There are a very large number of types of blemish' and the smallest ' blemish visible to a human can be surprisingly small, for example less than 10?m deep, which may be on the surface of a heavily embossed tile.
  • * 2011 , Robert Jones, Makeup Makeovers Beauty Bible: Expert Secrets for Stunning Transformations , page 119,
    • It comes as a surprise to some people, but blemishes' can strike at any age. To minimize the appearance of facial '''blemishes''' or pimples, use a concealer with a dry texture; it will cling to the ' blemish better, last throughout the day, and not irritate the skin or initiate more breakouts.
  • A moral defect; a character flaw.
  • * 1825 , A Sermon'', ''The Christian Magazine , Volume 2, page 298,
    • As piety is the peculiar ornament of old people, so the want of it is a peculiar blemish in their character.
  • * 2003 , Todd F. Heatherton, The Social Psychology of Stigma , page 103,
    • The processes of categorization, stereotyping, discrimination, and self-fulfilling prophecy can also apply to stigmas based on blemishes of individual character.
  • * 2008 , Annette Baier, Death and Character: Further Reflections on Hume , page 46,
    • There is no reason to think that the enlivening possible blemish' was his hypocritical show of repentance, since there are so many other candidate ' blemishes to choose among.

    Related terms

    * blemished (adjective) * blemishless * blemishment

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

    (es)
  • To spoil the appearance of.
  • *, II.12:
  • *:we see ordinarie examples by this licence which wonderfully blemisheth the authoritie and lustre of our law, never to stay upon one sentence, but to run from one to another judge, to decide one same case.
  • * 2009 , Michael A. Kirkman, Chapter 2: Global Markets fo Processed Potato Products'', Jaspreet Singh, Lovedeep Kaur (editors), ''Advances in Potato Chemistry and Technology , page 40,
    • Generally, varieties in current use for processing are resilient, if not wholly resistant to blemishing diseases and disorders.
  • * 2011 , Rob Imrie, Emma Street, Architectural Design and Regulation , unnumbered page,
    • I mean it reaches a point of ridiculousness in some regards, and one?s seen actually many good schemes here in San Francisco, for example, that have been blemished by an overly strict adherence to codes.
  • To tarnish (reputation, character, etc.); to defame.
  • * Oldys
    • There had nothing passed between us that might blemish reputation.