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Responsibility vs Fault - What's the difference?

responsibility | fault |

As nouns the difference between responsibility and fault

is that responsibility is the state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable while fault is a defect; something that detracts from perfection.

As a verb fault is

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

responsibility

English

Noun

(responsibilities)
  • The state of being responsible, accountable, or answerable.
    • Responsibility is a heavy burden.
  • A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable.
    • Why didn't you clean the house? That was your responsibility !
    The responsibility of the great states is to serve and not to dominate the world -
  • (military) The obligation to carry forward an assigned task to a successful conclusion. With responsibility goes authority to direct and take the necessary action to ensure success. (JP 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms).
  • (military) The obligation for the proper custody, care, and safekeeping of property or funds entrusted to the possession or supervision of an individual. (JP 1-02 Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms).

    • Synonyms

    * responsibleness

    Related terms

    * respond * response * responsible * responsibly

    See also

    * accountability

    References

    * * * Feltus, C.; Petit, M. (2009). "Building a Responsibility Model Including Accountability, Capability and Commitment", Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security'', Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ( IEEE ), Fukuoka, 2009. ''Building a Responsibility Model Including Accountability, Capability and Commitment

    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.