1. C 缺点，缺陷，故障　 imperfection or flaw
2. U 过失，过错　 (responsibility for a) mistake or offence

　admit one's ～　承认错误
　attack sb's ～s　抨击某人的错误
　charge sb with a ～　指责某人犯了过错
　correct one's ～　改正缺点
　cover up a ～　掩饰错误
　discover a ～　发现毛病
　excuse a ～　原谅错误
　find ～　吹毛求疵
　lay one's ～ on　把错误归咎于
　mend one's ～　改正缺点
　overlook a ～　宽容错误
　pass over sb's ～s　没看出某人的错误
　punish a ～　惩罚错误
　thrust the ～ on another　把错误推给别人
　common ～　一般的错误，共同的毛病
　glaring ～　大错，重大过失
　major ～　大错误，主要错误
　serious ～　严重错误
　a man of many ～s　缺点多的人

　The roof collapsed because of a fault in the beams.　房顶塌了，因为横梁有毛病。
　With all his faults, he was still a good teacher.　尽管有缺点，他仍不失为一名好老师。
　Many schools have heeded the warnings and are working to correct their faults.　许多学校已重视这些告诫，并正在着手改正他们的缺点。
　For all her faults, Tallulah's friends tolerated and even adored her.　尽管塔卢拉有缺点，她的朋友们却宽容她，甚至崇拜她。
　He was in fault several times during his speech.　他在发言中出了几次错。
　Sloppiness is his greatest fault.　草率是他最大的缺点。
　His only fault is that he lacks experience.　他唯一的缺点是缺少经验。
　I can't find any fault in it.　我找不出它有任何缺点。
　Of her many faults, vanity is the greatest.　虚荣是她许多缺点中最大的。
　If these faults could be attended to, public transport in London could be very good.　如果这些问题得到注意，那么伦敦的公共交通将会大为改观。
　Send it back to the manufacturer if the machine develops the same fault.　如果这台机器发生同样的故障，就把它退回到生产厂家。
　I shall not bear with his fault.　我不会宽容他的错误。
　Yet the fault lies on him but in the system.　但是错误的责任不在他，而在那种制度。
　Whose fault is it that we are late?　我们迟到是谁的过错?
　The boss is an easy going person and apt to look over other's faults.　老板很好相处，总是原谅别人的过错。
　I told him whose fault it was.　我告诉了他这是谁的过错。
　It's your fault that she hasn't come to the party.　她没来参加聚会是你的过错。
　Every man has some faults.　人孰无过。
　Faults are thick where love is thin.　一朝情义淡，样样不顺眼。
　The fault is on both sides.　双方都有责任。
　The fault lies with him, not with you.　责任在他，而不在你。

 ♣ at〔in〕 fault
　有错，有责任；茫然，不知所措　responsible for a mistake; in the wrong
　My memory was at fault.　我记错了。
　It was in 1976, I believe, if my memory is not at fault.　我认为那是在1976年，如果我没记错的话。
　When the engine would not start, the mechanic looked at all the parts to find what was at fault.　发动机发动不起来，机械师检查了所有的部件，看毛病出在哪里。
　In my opinion both of the drivers were at fault.　在我看来，两位司机都有责任。
　The driver who didn't stop at the red light was at fault in the accident.　那个闯红灯的司机应对这起车祸负责。
　I am at fault as to where to go.　我不知道究竟该去何处。
　Who is in fault in the accident?　这次事故是谁的责任?
　You were in fault for having been so rude.　你那么粗鲁是不对的。
 ♣ find fault with
　挑毛病，挑剔　be overcritical of; discover a flaw in
　A bad workman finds fault with his tools.　蹩脚的工匠总是埋怨自己的工具不好。
　She finds fault with everything and everybody.　她对每一件事每一个人都吹毛求疵。
　They found fault with every box I made.　他们对我制作的每一个箱子都不满意。
　He is constantly finding fault with my work.　他经常对我的工作提出批评。
　She's always finding fault with the way I do my hair.　她老是挑我的发型的毛病。
 ♣ to a fault
　过分地，过度地　excessively
　She is generous to a fault.　她过分慷慨。
　Jack would give you his last shilling—he's generous to a fault.　杰克会把最后一先令给你——他过于慷慨。
　James is cautious to a fault.　詹姆斯太小心翼翼了。

 ♣ fault, defect
　这两个词都有“缺点，缺陷”的意思。其区别是：defect强调不影响全局，完美不足，而fault强调不十分严重，无伤大雅；用于人时， defect多指人体器官上的缺陷，而fault多指道德行为的缺点；用于物时， defect指易于察觉的缺陷， fault则指功能方面的缺陷。例如：
　He has some defects in his eyesight.　他的视力有缺陷。
　I bought the cloth cheap because there is a small defect in it.　这布我买得便宜，因为上面有个小疵点。
　Snobbishness was his main fault.　他的主要缺点是势利眼。
　I don't mean to praise myself. I have my fault.　我并不是要表扬自己，我也有我的过错。
　His only fault is that he lacks ambition.　他唯一缺点就是没有雄心壮志。
　This accident is due to a fault in the electrical circuit.　这次事故是由电路故障引起的。
　There is a fault in the machine.　这机器有毛病。
 ♣ fault, error, flaw, mistake
　这四个词都有“缺点，错误”的意思。其区别是：
1. fault, flaw主要指“毛病，缺点”; mistake, error主要指“错误”。
2. fault多指性格、心智状态、情绪、行为或习惯中的“缺点”。例如：
　The dean demands perfection in others, but cannot see faults in himself.　系主任要求别人完美无缺，却看不到自己的缺点。
3. error可指任何错误，也可指笔误，印刷上或计算上的错误。例如：
　Please pardon any error that you may discover in my letter.　请原谅在我的信中你发现的一些错误。
　This book contains a lot of printer's errors.　这本书有很多印刷错误。
4. mistake指判断或理解方面的错误，或是由于缺乏思考或疏忽而造成的错误。例如：
　I used your ink by mistake.　我用错了你的墨水。
　He made some spelling mistakes in his test paper.　在考试试卷中，他犯了拼写错误。

　fault　可用作动词表示“发现某人〔某事物〕有错、有缺陷等”。例如：
　No one could fault his performance.　他的演出无懈可击。

　［同义词］ blemish, defect, flaw, imperfection, blame
　［反义词］ correctness, merit, perfection, virtue
　［词源］　中古英语faute<古法语faulte（缺）<拉丁语fallere（骗）