DEFECT

blemish, defect, mar

(noun) a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person’s body); “a facial blemish”

defect, shortcoming

(noun) a failing or deficiency; “that interpretation is an unfortunate defect of our lack of information”

defect

(noun) an imperfection in a bodily system; “visual defects”; “this device permits detection of defects in the lungs”

defect, fault, flaw

(noun) an imperfection in an object or machine; “a flaw caused the crystal to shatter”; “if there are any defects you should send it back to the manufacturer”

defect, desert

(verb) desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army; “If soldiers deserted Hitler’s army, they were shot”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

defect (plural defects)

A fault or malfunction.

The quantity or amount by which anything falls short.

(math) A part by which a figure or quantity is wanting or deficient.

Usage notes

• Adjectives often used with "defect": major, minor, serious, cosmetic, functional, critical, fatal, basic, fundamental, main, primary, principal, radical, inherent

Synonyms

• See also defect

Verb

defect (third-person singular simple present defects, present participle defecting, simple past and past participle defected)

(intransitive) To abandon or turn against; to cease or change one's loyalty, especially from a military organisation or political party.

(military) To desert one's army, to flee from combat.

(military) To join the enemy army.

(law) To flee one's country and seek asylum.

Source: Wiktionary


De*fect", n. Etym: [L. defectus, fr. deficere, defectum, to desert, fail, be wanting; de- + facere to make, do. See Fact, Feat, and cf. Deficit.]

1. Want or absence of something necessary for completeness or perfection; deficiency; -- opposed to superfluity. Errors have been corrected, and defects supplied. Davies.

2. Failing; fault; imperfection, whether physical or moral; blemish; as, a defect in the ear or eye; a defect in timber or iron; a defect of memory or judgment. Trust not yourself; but, your defects to know, Make use of every friend -- any every foe. Pope. Among boys little tenderness is shown to personal defects. Macaulay.

Syn.

– Deficiency; imperfection; blemish. See Fault.

De*fect", v. i.

Definition: To fail; to become deficient. [Obs.] "Defected honor." Warner.

De*fect", v. t.

Definition: To injure; to damage. "None can my life defect." [R.] Troubles of Q. Elizabeth (1639).

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

8 May 2025

INSULATION

(noun) the act of protecting something by surrounding it with material that reduces or prevents the transmission of sound or heat or electricity


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Coffee Trivia

The first coffee-house in Mecca dates back to the 1510s. The beverage was in Turkey by the 1530s. It appeared in Europe circa 1515-1519 and was introduced to England by 1650. By 1675 the country had more than 3,000 coffee houses, and coffee had replaced beer as a breakfast drink.

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