American English Dictionary
Definition of “default”
Word Frequency
default (diˈfɔlt
; dɪˈfɔlt
)
Definitions
noun
- failure to do something or be somewhere when required or expected (; specif.,)
- failure to pay money due
- failure to appear in court to defend or prosecute a case
- failure to take part in or finish a contest
- (computing) a preset choice, setting, etc. for automatic use as by a program when no other is
specified by a user (often used attributively) ⇒
a default disk drive on a PC
- (obsolete) a fault, lack, or want
intransitive verb
- to fail to do something or be somewhere when required or expected (; specif.,)
- to fail to make payment when due
- to fail to appear in court when required
- to fail to take part in or finish a contest
- to lose a contest by default
transitive verb
- to fail to do, pay, finish, etc. (something) when required
- to lose (a contest, etc.) by default; forfeit
- See in default of
Derived Forms
deˈfaulter nounWord Origin
ME < OFr defaute < VL * defallita, pp. of * defallere, to lack < L de-, away + fallere, to failTranslations for 'default'
- American English: default If a person, company, or country defaults on something that they have legally agreed to do, such as paying some money, they fail to do it. defaulted, defaulting, defaultsThe credit card business is down, and more borrowers are defaulting on loans.to default on sth
- Brazilian Portuguese: inadimplir
- Chinese: 不履行 >义务
- European Spanish: no pagar
- French: faire défaut
- German: nicht nachkommen
- Italian: essere inadempiente
- Japanese: 債務不履行をする
- Korean: 불이행하다
- Portuguese: inadimplir
- Spanish: no pagar
- American English: default A default situation is what exists or happens unless someone or something changes it.He appeared unimpressed; but then, unimpressed was his default state.
- Brazilian Portuguese: padrão
- Chinese: 预设的 >义务
- European Spanish: por defecto
- French: par défaut
- German: Standard-
- Italian: di default
- Japanese: デフォルトの
- Korean: 디폴트의
- Portuguese: padrão
- Spanish: por defecto
Example Sentences Including 'default'
Jennifer, it turned out, was in Nebraska visiting her brother, so the honor fell by default to Geordie.Significant Others (1989)
Workers have 633 funds to choose from, including a default for people who don't indicate a preference.Time Magazine (2005)
But speak they must, or causes held dear will die by default.Seattle Times (2004)
He had purchased homes with Veterans Administration loans, which he allowed to go into default.Seattle Times (2004)
The increased default risk resulting from an LBO or some other event is, naturally enough, called event risk.Financial Markets, Institutions and Money (1995)
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