default

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The current setting and action taken by software. Application programs have myriad defaults, including margin settings, font style and size, the printer that should be used and the folder name for saving files. A default setting implies that it can be changed by the user.

Because a particular setting may affect how the hardware operates, one can say there are "hardware defaults." However, unless there are physical switches or levers in the hardware that change the default, a default setting is in the software.

Default is also a verb. For example, "the program defaults to xyz," means that the program does xyz under these circumstances unless directed otherwise. See default browser, default directory, default drive, default font and default gateway.

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Failure to meet a contractual obligation, such as repayment of a loan by a borrower or payment of interest to bond holders. Default gives the note holder, or the holder of a mortgage bond, rights and recourse under the mortgage indenture to institute foreclosure proceedings or to accelerate the maturity date.

Failure to fulfill an obligation or promise, or to perform specified acts.


Example: The contract required the buyer to close within 3 business days. His failure to appear at closing constituted a default under the contract.


Example: After the borrower defaulted on payments for three months, the lender posted the property for foreclosure.

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noun

Nonperformance of what ought to be done: delinquency, dereliction, failure, neglect, omission. Law nonfeasance. See do/not do.

verb

To not do (something necessary): fail, neglect, omit. See do/not do.

n

Definition: failure; want
Antonyms: advantage, payment, perfection, satisfaction, success

v

Definition: dodge payment
Antonyms: pay

A substantive failure to fulfill a material obligation under a building contract.

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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

An omission; a failure to do that which is anticipated, expected, or required in a given situation.

Default is distinguishable from negligence in that it does not involve carelessness or imprudence with respect to the discharge of a duty or obligation but rather the intentional omission or nonperformance of a duty.

To default on a debt is to fail to pay it upon its due date. Default in contract law implies failure to perform a contractual obligation.

A default judgment is one that may be entered against a party in a lawsuit for failure to comply with a procedural step in the suit, such as failure to file an answer to a complaint or failure to file a paper on time. A default judgment is not one that goes to the merits of a lawsuit but is procedural in nature.

Failure to pay a debt when it is due.

1. The failure to promptly pay interest or principal when due. Default occurs when a debtor is unable to meet the legal obligation of debt repayment. Borrowers may default when they are unable to make the required payment or are unwilling to honor the debt.

2. The failure to perform on a futures contract as required by an exchange.

Investopedia Says:
1. Defaulting on a debt obligation can place a company or individual in financial trouble. The lender will see a default as a sign that the borrower is not likely to make future payments. For example, if Company XYZ is unable to make a coupon payment on its bonds, the bondholders would place XYZ in bankruptcy. This would give the company an opportunity to claim XYZ's assets as a form of repayment for the debt.

2. Defaulting on a futures contract occurs when one party does not fulfill the obligations set forth by the agreement. The default usually involves not settling the contract by the required date. A person in the short position will default if he or she fails to deliver the goods at the end of the contract. The long position defaults when payment is not provided by the settlement date.

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IN BRIEF: The neglect or omission of a legal requirement. Also: the failure to pay financial debts.

Did the customer default on the mortgage?

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n

1. an omission of that which should be done. v 2. to fail to fulfill an obligation or a promise.

For a list of words related to default, see:

• Software, Languages, and Programming - default: option or value built into program or system in lieu of user input, but able to be overriden; default setting or parameter
• Crimes, Criminals, and Civil Offenders - default: failure to fulfill legal obligation, esp. failure to appear in court when case is called
• Banking and Financial Services - default: failure to make timely loan payments

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See words rhyming with "defaulter."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Default.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - udeblivelse, undladelse, forsømmelse, default
v. intr. - udvise forsømmelighed, misligholde forpligtelse, sidde krav overhørig
v. tr. - erklære for udeblevet

idioms:

• go by default    udeblive, underkende pga. udeblivelse
• in default of    af mangel på

Nederlands (Dutch)
(het) in gebreke blijven, verzuimen, (het) niet verschijnen (juridisch/ sport), wanbetaling/ -prestatie, standaardinstelling (computer), waar men op terugvalt (bij gebrek aan beter)

Français (French)
n. - (Jur) défaut, non-comparution, contumace, défaillance, manquement, (Sport) par forfait, (Fin) cessation de paiements, (Comput) position par défaut
v. intr. - (Jur) faire défaut, être en état de contumace, manquer à ses engagements, être en défaut, (Fin) manquer à ses engagements, (Comput) prendre une valeur par défaut
v. tr. - (Jur) condamner par défaut ou par contumace, rendre un jugement par défaut contre

idioms:

• by default    (Jur) par contumace ou par défaut, implicitement, (Tech) par défaut
• go by default    aller par défaut, laisser échapper l'occasion
• in default of    faute de, à défaut de

Deutsch (German)
v. - unterlassen, nicht erfüllen, nicht erscheinen
n. - Unterlassung, Nichterfüllung, Nichterscheinen, Nichtzahlung

idioms:

• by default    Versäumnisurteil, das, durch Anwesenheit verlieren, nicht zur Geltung kommen, durch Nichterscheinen des Gegners gewinnen
• go by default    durch Abwesenheit nicht zur Geltung kommen
• in default of    aus Mangel an, mangels

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αθετώ, παραβαίνω, (νομ.) ερημοδικώ, δικάζω ερήμην
n. - αθέτηση, (νομ.) απουσία, ερημοδικία, φυγοδικία, παράλειψη, (Η/Υ) προεπιλογή, αυτόματη επιλογή

idioms:

• go by default    αποφασίζομαι ερήμην
• in default of    εν απουσία/ελλείψει του

Italiano (Italian)
essere inadempiente, insolvente, prendere come default, contumacia, cattiva prestazione, insolvenza, mancato pagamento

idioms:

• go by default    in contumacia
• in default of    in mancanza di

Português (Portuguese)
v. - não cumprir obrigação, não comparecer em juízo, não pagar
n. - falta (f) de pagamento, valor (m) padrão (Comp.)

idioms:

• go by default    assumir por default
• in default of    por falta de

Русский (Russian)
не выполнять, проиграть по причине неявки, отсутствие, неплатеж, параметры, устанавливаемые по умолчанию

idioms:

• go by default    автоматически
• in default of    в отсутствие

Español (Spanish)
n. - rebeldía, contumacia, descuido, incumplimiento, negligencia, falta de pago, falta, (comp) valor predeterminado
v. intr. - faltar, dejar de pagar, no de presentarse, condenar en rebeldía
v. tr. - faltar, dejar de pagar, no de presentarse, condenar en rebeldía, incumplir

idioms:

• by default    perder un partido por no presentarse, por omisión
• go by default    elegir uno por ausencia del otro
• in default of    a falta de, en ausencia de

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - döma, försumma
n. - försummelse, standardvärde

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
缺席, 不履行, 拖欠, 不参加, 不出场, 不到案, 对...处以缺席裁判

idioms:

• go by default    没有, 缺乏, 因疏忽...而致丧失
• in default of    因没有

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 缺席, 不履行, 拖欠
v. intr. - 不履行, 拖欠, 不參加, 不出場, 不到案
v. tr. - 不履行, 拖欠, 不參加, 對...處以缺席裁判

idioms:

• go by default    沒有, 缺乏, 因疏忽...而致喪失
• in default of    因沒有

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 근무 태만, 결핍, 디폴트 값 (이미 예상한 설정이나 사전에 정한 데이터)
v. intr. - 직무를 태만하다, (재판에) 출석하지 않다, 빚을 갚지 않다
v. tr. - 직무를 불이행하다, 게임에 불참하다, 궐석 재판에 부치다

idioms:

• go by default    반대파의 부족으로 한 당에 이롭게 결정되다
• in default of    ~이 없을 때는

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 怠ること, 不履行, 不出廷, 欠場, 棄権
v. - 履行しない, 欠席する

idioms:

• go by default    欠席する
• in default of    …がない場合は, …がないために

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يهمل أداء شئ ( بخاصه المثول أمام المحكمه أو دفع دين), يقصر (الاسم) إهمال شئ ( بخاصه المثول أمام المحكمه أو دفع دين)‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮התחמקות, השתמטות, אי-מילוי הבטחה, היעדרות, אי-הופעה, מחדל, ברירת מחדל (מחשבים)‬
v. intr. - ‮לא הופיע, השתמט‬
v. tr. - ‮הביע דיעה נגד צד מסוים‬

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