1. A defect or imperfection; a flaw: The fault of the accident was a result of the poor workmanship when the brakes were repaired.
2. Responsibility for a wrongful act: It is Nell's fault that the toast burned.
3. An error or a mistake: Sam was told that he made a fault when he was completing the application form!
4. In geology, a rock fracture along which movement or displacement in the plane of the fracture has taken place: The city was built on a major fault line and has always been at risk when an earthquake occurs.

A defect in an electric circuit, component, or line; such as, a short circuit: Susan blew a fuse because of an electrical fault in her iron when she plugged it into the socket.

Sally went outside to take care of her flowers one morning when a sudden explosion took place in her kitchen because of some kind of electrical faults in her refrigerator that resulted in a severe fire in her apartment.

In geology, a depressed area separated from the surrounding region by defects or cracks: The low farmland, or fault basin, was the result of the frequent shifts in the ground along the fault lines in their area.

Electricity that flows from a conductor to the ground or to another conductor because of something being wrong with the connections: Since there was a fault-current in the electrical system in Adam's old house, he often blew a fuse when he tried to turn on his lights.

1. A person who points out imperfections and complains about what another person does, or people do or don't do: There were often conflicts in the relationships of the couple because Sally was often more of a fault-finder.

If ever there was a faultfinder, it is Sean's aunt who is always complaining about how he looks and what he does or doesn't do.

2. An instrument designed to locate leaks in an electric current: As part of the house inspection, Sam, the engineer, used a fault-finder to detect any problems with the electrical system.
3. The systematic investigation of malfunctions in an electronic apparatus: The engineers were developing fault-finders which are instruments that could be used to guarantee the proper functioning of the computer systems which would be utilized by the new internet service providers.

Continual and usually trivial criticism: The fault-finding by Mark's boss about so many insignificant things was becoming more irritating every day.