defect

(dē'fĕkt', dĭ-fĕkt')
n.

1. The lack of something necessary or desirable for completion or perfection; a deficiency: a visual defect.
2. An imperfection that causes inadequacy or failure; a shortcoming. See synonyms at blemish.

intr.v., -fect·ed, -fect·ing, -fects. (dĭ-fĕkt')

1. To disown allegiance to one's country and take up residence in another: a Soviet citizen who defected to Israel.
2. To abandon a position or association, often to join an opposing group: defected from the party over the issue of free trade.

[Middle English, from Latin dēfectus, failure, want, from past participle of dēficere, to desert, be wanting : dē-, de- + facere, to do.]

defection de·fec'tion n.
defector de·fec'tor n.

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should be pronounced with stress on the first syllable as a noun (= fault, imperfection) and on the second syllable as a verb (= to go over to an enemy or rival).

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noun

1. The condition or fact of being deficient: deficiency, deficit, inadequacy, insufficiency, lack, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scantness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, shortcoming, shortfall, underage. See excess/insufficiency/enough.
2. Something that mars the appearance or causes inadequacy or failure: blemish, bug, fault, flaw, imperfection, shortcoming. See beautiful/ugly, better/worse, help/harm/harmless.

verb

To abandon one's cause or party usually to join another: apostatize, desert, renegade, tergiversate, turn. Slang rat. Idioms: change sides, turn one's coat. See approach/retreat, trust/distrust.

n

Definition: blemish, imperfection
Antonyms: advantage, improvement, perfection, strength

v

Definition: break from belief, faith
Antonyms: come in, join

In wood, a fault that may reduce its durability, usefulness, or strength.

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This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

Imperfection, flaw, or deficiency.

That which is subject to a defect is missing a requisite element and, therefore, is not legally binding. Defective service of process, for example, is service that does not comply with a procedural or jurisdictional requirement. A defective will is one that has not been properly drawn up, has been obtained by unlawful means, or does not comply with a particular law. In some cases, however, defects can be cured; for example, defective service of process can be cured by the service of an amended complaint.

In product liability, a defective product is one that cannot be used for the purposes intended or is made dangerous as a result of a flaw or imperfection. Such a defect might exist in the entire design of a product or in the production of a particular individual product. A latent defect is one that is not readily observable by the buyer of an item, whereas a patent defect is obvious or immediately apparent upon observation.

A fatal defect is one that, due to its serious nature, serves to nullify a contract.

Anything interrupting the smooth flow of a wood surface. This includes loose knots, splits, voids, wormholes, bark pockets and others.

IN BRIEF: Not working properly; having something wrong with. Also: to leave a cause or situation (e.g. a job) for another.

To realize that you do not understand is a virtue; Not to realize that you do not understand is a defect. — Lao Tzu (c.604-531 B.C.).

Tutor's tip: When defect is a noun the accent is on the first syllable. When defect is used as a verb the accent is on the second syllable.

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An imperfection, failure or absence.

• filling d. — an interruption in the contour of the inner surface of viscus revealed by contrast radiography, indicating excess tissue or substance on or in the wall of the organ, foreign body or other space-occupying lesions.
• negative d. — in neurology, a movement that cannot be performed, such as in paresis or paralysis.
• positive d. — in neurology, an involuntary movement, such as tremors, abnormal posture or seizures.
• septal d. — a defect in the cardiac septum resulting in an abnormal communication between opposite chambers of the heart. See also aortic septal defect, atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect.

n

1. the absence of some legal requisite. 2. an imperfection.

For a list of words related to defection, see:

• Intrigues, Plots, and Corruption - defection: desertion, esp. betrayal of one’s national allegiance

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See words rhyming with "defection."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Defect.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - defekt, mangel, skønhedsfejl, underskud
v. intr. - hoppe af

idioms:

• speech defect    talefejl

Nederlands (Dutch)
mankement, overlopen, uitwijken (naar ander(e) land/partij etc.)

Français (French)
n. - défaut, imperfection, faute, malfaçon
v. intr. - (Pol) faire défection, s'enfuir de

idioms:

• speech defect    défaut d'élocution

Deutsch (German)
n. - Fehler, Mangel, Defekt
v. - abtrünnig werden

idioms:

• speech defect    Sprachfehler

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ατέλεια, ελάττωμα (κν. κουσούρι)
v. - αυτομολώ, λιποτακτώ, αποστατώ, αποσκιρτώ, (θρησκ.) αποστατώ, αλλαξοπιστώ

idioms:

• speech defect    ελάττωμα λόγου

Italiano (Italian)
difetto

idioms:

• speech defect    disturbi del linguaggio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - defeito (m)
v. - trair um partido ou causa

idioms:

• speech defect    defeito (m) da fala

Русский (Russian)
дефект

idioms:

• speech defect    дефект речи

Español (Spanish)
n. - defecto, falta
v. intr. - desertar

idioms:

• speech defect    defecto del habla o de pronunciación

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - defekt, brist
v. - avfalla, hoppa av (polit.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
缺点, 不足之处, 缺陷, 逃跑, 背叛, 脱离

idioms:

• speech defect    语言缺陷

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 缺點, 不足之處, 缺陷
v. intr. - 逃跑, 背叛, 脫離

idioms:

• speech defect    語言缺陷

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 부족, 결함
v. intr. - 배신하다, 도주하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 欠点, 欠陥, 短所
v. - 離脱する, 亡命する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) عله أو نقص تفسد شخص أو شئ, خلل (فعل) يترك حزب سياسي أو بلد مثلا ويذهب لآخر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮פגם, חיסרון‬
v. intr. - ‮ערק (למחנה הנגדי)‬

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