Middle English Dictionary Entry
faute n.
Entry Info
| Forms | faute n. Also fauȝt, faulte, falte. |
| Etymology | OF faute, faulte. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Lack, want, scarcity, deficiency; (b) want of the necessities of life; (c) ?lack of strength; (d) for (the) faute of, thorgh faute of, for want of; (e) in the faute, short of the full amount required, deficient.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)5385 : Faut [Frf: defaute] o bred was in þat tide Ouer al þe werld.
- c1440(c1350) Octav.(1) (Thrn)1430 : He..hade grete fawte of mete.
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Meas.Treas.(Hrl 2255)48 : Fynal cause of ther destruccioun Was fawte of vertu and lakkyng of mesure.
- c1450(c1350) Alex.& D.(Bod 264)303 : Whan we faren to fed we finde no faute: We han so michel at þe mel þat we no more wilne.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4587 : A wolfe þat wantis of his pray; Quen he has faute of his flesch he fallis to þe soile!
- a1500 Treat.GBattle (Hrl 1706)428 : Ther [in hell] shalt thou fynde..a fawte off alle goodys, and plente off alle euylles.
b
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4504 : Man þat weltres in his welis And..na fautes felis [Frf: and lakkis noȝt; na faute he felis].
- c1550(?a1475) Lament.Sinner (Rwl C.813)53 : Lett never the pore for faute spyll.
c
- ?a1400(a1338) *Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Petyt 511)8a [1032] : He..berfreis did make to gyf assaute þat brutus myght fall with faute [Lamb: y þe faut].
- c1440-a1500 Eglam.(Schleich)874 : For fawte [vr. feyntenes] scho myght speke no worde.
d
- c1330(?a1300) Arth.& M.(Auch)7824 : Ded me were leuer..Þan he starf for faut of ous!
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)6.286 : As I am drunke of that I drinke, So am I ek for falte of drinke.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.241 : Þer squierie..Alle drenkled þorgh folie & faut of wisdam.
- c1400(1375) Canticum Creat.(Trin-O 57)49 : Whanne hem hongrede for faute of mete.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)259/819 : Fede my schep Þat for fawth of techyng þei go not wrong.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)510 : The realme..hathe bene longe in trowble for fawte and wontynge of sadde governayle.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)2.63 : Þey were so feble and feynte for fauȝte of ȝoure lawe.
e
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)82b/a : As þe humour þat is in þe faute axith.
- c1430 Usages Win.(Win-HRO W/A3/2)65 : Ȝyf þe ferthinge-lof ys in þe faute [F en defaute de rein; Win-HRO W/A3/1: in defawte of wyȝte] ouer xij pens, þe baker is in þe mercy.
2.
(a) A blemish, flaw; (b) a fault or mistake; (c) error with reference to belief.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (RwlPoet 175:Napier)p.463 : Þe fairest man..Withouten faut fro heued to fote.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)208 : [In a dream] he seiȝ..a dore..haspet ful faste, A child cominge þorw..wiþ-outen faute oþer faus.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1122 : Perle..schynes so schyr..Wythouten faut oþer fylþe.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)175 : Þe canker þat þe kyng hadde clenly was heled, With out faute þe face.
b
- c1390 Treat.Mass (Vrn)475 : Ȝif þer beo euer eny mon Þat seiþ he con a-mende hit, ffaute þer-Inne ȝif þat he fynde.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.3489 : Wel wot I moche þing is wrong, Falsly metrid..For certeyn fautes whiche ȝe shal fynde.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)prol.68 : Yonge men..shall fele fawtis, foure score and odde.
c
- (1433) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23154 : A man shold put his trust in God alone..the whiche wordes..is in grete faut.
3.
Failure to perform an obligation; neglect in duty; default; withoute faute, without fail.
Associated quotations
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.34 : Who-so faille þat day, þat he be nouthe þere..he schal paie a pound of wax for is faute.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5306 : Ȝe shal in hem no faute fynde Whan assuraunce from ouþer parte is hadde.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)366 : Cristen peple..fully wiþoute faute ouȝte to attende and lerne þis iije trety.
- a1450 Rich.(Cai 175/96:Weber)1214 : In us schal no fawte bee.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3184 : Was neuere man, in fawte of me, dampnyd nor savyd, but it were dew.
4.
(a) Moral defect or imperfection; (b) wrong-doing; a misdeed, offence, transgression, sin, crime.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24700 : Sli faut [Göt: suilk fautes] mai man fill.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2435 : Þe faut & þe fayntyse of þe flesche crabbed.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4588 : Trewe Love ne failide never man; Sothly the faute mot nedys than..be founde in me.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)11.209 : Ne vnder-nym nouȝte foule, for is none with-oute faute [vr. defaute].
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)100 : Be we euer more redy to be mendid bi þe trouþ of Crist, for we are not so sikir þat we be wiþ out faut, error, and vnkunning.
b
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.238 : If he with faute be fonden..it falles him hard.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)680 : Þe cety of Sodamas þat synned had þenne In þe faute of þis fylþe.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)725 : Schal þay falle in þe faute þat oþer frekez wroȝt?
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)38/24 : Foure resouns of holi writ declarid of doctours schal teche ȝou of þis greet fauȝt [adornment of churches].
- c1432 Bishop Notes in PMLA 49 (Cmb Dd.14.2)454 : To purpose þees favtes aftur hure powere.
- c1440(?a1400) Perceval (Thrn)1842 : Here mon i stande For a faute þat he fande.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)194/24 : Go we reherse by rawe Hir fawtes as we þam fande.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)79/219 : Þat in þis holy temple fawte be non.
5.
(a) Responsibility for something untoward; culpability, blame; (b) charge of blame or censure; finden faute(s, to find fault.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3837 : Gret faute in thee now have I founde.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)4905 : In me, forsothe, no fauȝt þere nys Of þat þat he fore blamede me.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)64/42 : I-wys, swete husbond, þe fawte is in me.
- c1500 Recipe MSS Hast.in HMC (Hnt HU 1051)422 : To know wheder the fautt be in the mone or the woman..yf the fatte be in the mon, then shalle ye fynde in hes pott lik wormes that shalle stynke.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1485 : Be now avised, and put no faute in me.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)10.103 : I haue yherde hiegh men..Carpen as þei clerkes were of cryste and of his miȝtes, And leyden fautes vppon þe fader þat fourmed vs alle.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4850 : Rule vs by rightwisnes..Þat no fawte with vs founden be.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)11754 : If any fawte þer funden be, we faithly may say, The pure kyng Paladian priuely stale.
- (c1450) Boothe be ware (CotR 2.23)p.228 : Be faitheffulle and feynte not fawtus to fynde.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)21/420 : That no man at thame fynd sawt [read: fawt] ne blame.