defect

& a. [Lat. defect us =a want, from defect us, pa. par. of deficio to be wanting, to fail.] A. As substantive: 1. A want, absence of something nece ary; insufficiency, failure. neither of them was fully aware of the defects of the other's army." -Macaulay: Hist. Eng., ch. xiv. 2. Any natural physical want or imperfection, blemish, or failure. "Men, through some defect in the organs, want words, yet fail not to expre their universal ideas by signs." Locke . 3. A moral want or imperfection; a failing. "Sometimes occasion brings to light Our friend's defect long hid from sight." Cowper: Friendship. 4. A fault, a mistake, an error. "We had rather follow the perfections of them whom we like not, than in defects resemble them whom we love." -Hooker . *B. As adj .: Deficient, defective, imperfect. "Where though their service was defect and lame Th' Almighty's mercy did accept the same." Taylor: Works (1630). IMG:content-2008.png:[blocks in formation] 1308 de-fěc'-tion, s. [Fr. défection ; Lat. defectio .] 1. A want, a deficiency. 2. A failure in duty; an apostasy, a falling away. "That since the flowers of Eden felt the blast, That after man's defection laid all waste." ". by the voluntary defection of him who ought to have been our protector."-Macaulay: Hist. Eng., ch. x. Crabb thus discriminates between defection and revolt: " Defection is a general, revolt a specific term; that is, it denotes a species of defection . De fection is applicable to any person or thing to which we are bound by any obligation; revolt is applicable only to the government to which one is bound. There may be a defection from religion, or any cause that is held sacred: a revolt is only against a monarch or the supreme authority. Defection does not designate the mode of the action; it may be quietly made or otherwise; a revolt is an act of violence, and always attended with violence. The defection may be the act of one; a revolt is properly the act of many." ( Crabb : Eng. Synon . ) *dě-fec-tion-ist, s. [Eng. defection ; -ist.] One who supports or is in favor of defection. *dě-fěc-tious, a . [Eng. defect ; -ious.] Full of defects; defective, imperfect. "Perchance in some one defect i ous piece, we may find a blemish."-Sidney: Apology for Poetry.