at fault
62
3.4
- idiom
:
responsable
- I was the one who was at fault twelve years ago, not in what I was teaching but in how I went about it.
- be found at fault
- somehow at fault
Additionally, I would have talked about the influencers who were at fault for influencing this.
- Additionally, I would have talked about the influencers who were at fault for influencing this.
- Are you under and who's at fault here?
- I think one important thing to point out is neither sex is at fault for what's going on.
- So at that point, it is the product that's at fault.
- It was, you know, I recognized that I was really at fault and think my parents felt like they were doing the best thing they could.
- When people start looking for somebody else to be at fault, whether it's the government or their aunt or some or their boss, they always lose.
- So you were not at fault and I can't remember, but I think he had to pay for the damage to my car.
- And therefore, I think we are ethically more at fault in allowing this gap to get wider than it was in medieval times.
- The report found that Dyer was at fault, but not the British Indian government.
- But why were we so sure it's not quantum mechanics that's at fault, right?
- That is my narcissistic drama, that I'm always at fault.
- Our doctors are not at fault, you know, not understanding sleep.
Examples
-
In this accident, both drivers were at fault for the collision.
-
But we are no longer sure that it is the character who is at fault.
Fiction book (1993) -
I think we're both at fault for the initial incident.
-
I may be at fault.
-
The larger society is saying to the victim, in short, "You are at fault for your own problem."
Academic text (2002) -
And it's look, you, you are not at fault for feeling frustrated.
-
Of course my grandfather is at fault, too.
-
I'm not at fault here.
-
You were not at fault, and I am sure the prince does not resent you at all.
Fiction book (1996) -
According to Perkins, teachers, although not entirely at fault, must accept some of the blame for this failure.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
∞
2.7
In charge of something or the one who caused it to happen
953
3.0
The person or thing that causes something bad
251
4.6
Responsible for actions and must explain them to someone in charge
89
5.5
Legally responsible to pay for damage or loss
26
7.5
Deserving blame for doing something wrong
9
6.4
Required to explain your actions to someone in authority
1
6.5
Deserving blame for doing something wrong or harmful
1
7.9
Deserving criticism because someone did something wrong
People think it caused harm or did something wrong
Legally and morally at fault for wrongdoing so they cannot claim money in court
Antonyms
How Responsible
Surface Forms
Morphology
at + fault
The meaning is directly derivable from 'fault' (a mistake or blameworthiness) with 'at' marking the state/location of being in that condition; a B1 learner who knows both words can infer 'responsible' or 'to blame'. This locative/state pattern (being 'at' some condition) is cross-linguistically common, so the phrase is transparent.
Etymology
At fault may come from a simple picture: someone standing at the fault — the place of a mistake or problem — while others point to them. So, at fault came to mean 'responsible' or 'to blame'.