Webster
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Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Default

De·fault′ (dē·flt′), n. [OE. defaute, OF. defaute, defalte, fem., F. défaut, masc., LL. defalta, fr. a verb meaning, to be deficient, to want, fail, fr. L. de- + fallere to deceive. See Fault.] 1. A failing or failure; omission of that which ought to be done; neglect to do what duty or law requires; as, this evil has happened through the governor's default.

2. Fault; offense; ill deed; wrong act; failure in virtue or wisdom.

And pardon craved for his so rash default. Spenser.

Regardless of our merit or default. Pope.

3. (Law) A neglect of, or failure to take, some step necessary to secure the benefit of law, as a failure to appear in court at a day assigned, especially of the defendant in a suit when called to make answer; also of jurors, witnesses, etc.

In default of, in case of failure or lack of.

Cooks could make artificial birds and fishes in default of the real ones. Arbuthnot.

— To suffer a default (Law), to permit an action to be called without appearing to answer.

De·fault′, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Defaulted; p. pr. & vb. n. Defaulting.] 1. To fail in duty; to offend.

That he gainst courtesy so foully did default. Spenser.

2. To fail in fulfilling a contract, agreement, or duty.

3. To fail to appear in court; to let a case go by default.

De·fault′, v. t. 1. To fail to perform or pay; to be guilty of neglect of; to omit; as, to default a dividend.

What they have defaulted towards him as no king. Milton.

2. (Law) To call a defendant or other party whose duty it is to be present in court, and make entry of his default, if he fails to appear; to enter a default against.

3. To leave out of account; to omit. [Obs.]

Defaulting unnecessary and partial discourses. Hales.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Noah Porter, editor (Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913). Public domain. Text as transcribed by MICRA, Inc., from Project Gutenberg. Changed for Deep Dive Bible: Greek, which our source spelled in Latin letters, set in Greek letters; entries of one spelling merged into one article; Greek words our source left out (shown as “?”), read from the 1898 printing, from the same plates (the Library of Congress’s copy), where the place could be found with certainty. Of the others, 1,362 (a word or a single letter each) were inferred by AI from the context by the dictionary’s own rules and are marked with a wavy underline (tap or point at one to see the note); the rest, which could not be inferred with confidence, are left as “?”.