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| de·fault [ di fáwlt ] |
noun (plural de·faults) |
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| Definition: |
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1. preset option: an option that will automatically be selected by a computer if the user does not choose one
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2. failure to do something: a failure to meet an obligation, especially a financial one
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3. law nonappearance in court: a failure to make a summoned court appearance
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4. sports nonparticipation in competition: a failure to appear for or complete a competition
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intransitive verb (past and past participle de·fault·ed, present participle de·fault·ing, 3rd person present singular de·faults) |
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| Definition: |
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1. fail to pay debt: to fail to pay a debt or other financial obligation
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2. law fail to appear in court: to fail to make an appearance in court although summoned to do so
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3. sports fail to compete: to fail to appear for a game or contest
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4. comput use preset option: to use a device, command, or file when no other is specified
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| [13th century. < Old French defaute, past participle of defaillir "fail" < faillir (see fail)] |
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by default
1. having come about because some other thing, often something expected, did not happen
2. having come about because somebody failed to appear as expected
3. according to a computer's preset configuration
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in default of something or somebody because of a lack of something or the absence of somebody (formal)
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