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de·fault

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pronunciation:
dih fawlt
parts of speech:
noun, intransitive verb, transitive verb, adjective
features:
Word Combinations (noun, verb)
part of speech: noun
definition 1: failure to take positive action; neglect.
He had not actively decided to close his account; it was a choice made by default.
similar words:
indifference, neglect, omission
definition 2: failure to perform an action or fulfill an obligation that is legally or morally required, esp. the obligation of paying money that is owed.
In the case of default on your home loan, the bank may end up taking possession of your property.
synonyms:
delinquency
similar words:
dereliction, neglect, noncompliance, nonfeasance, nonpayment
definition 3: the state of having failed to pay an amount owed within an allotted amount of time.
The bank will not grant you a loan if it finds you in default with respect to other creditors.
definition 4: failure to attend a court session when summoned.
Because of the default of the tenant, and with no acceptable excuse made to the court, the landlord won his case for eviction.
similar words:
absence, neglect, nonattendance
definition 5: failure to participate in or play to the finish a scheduled athletic event or other contest.
The team did not arrive on time to play, so they lost the game by default.
synonyms:
forfeiture
similar words:
neglect
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
inflections: defaults, defaulting, defaulted
definition 1: to fail to perform an action or fulfill an obligation legally or morally required, esp. to fail to pay money that is owed.
There is a substantial penalty if you default on your payments to the bank.
similar words:
cop out, fail, lapse, shirk, sidestep
definition 2: to fail to attend a court session when summoned.
If you default, you will probably lose your case.
similar words:
absent oneself
definition 3: to fail to participate in or to play to the finish a scheduled athletic event or other contest.
We only won because the other team defaulted.
definition 4: to lose a game, match, or the like for this reason.
We were upset that we defaulted because we knew we could have beaten that team.
similar words:
lose
 
part of speech: transitive verb
definition 1: to fail to perform or fulfill.
synonyms:
evade, neglect
similar words:
avoid, dodge, shirk, sidestep
definition 2: to lose (a case) by failing to attend a court session.
synonyms:
forfeit
definition 3: to fail to participate in or play to the finish (an athletic event or other contest).
definition 4: to lose (a game, match, or the like) for this reason.
similar words:
forfeit, lose, relinquish
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: adjective
definition: in computing, selected automatically by a program or device in the absence of an active selection by the user.
The default font size is too small for my grandfather to read.
derivation: defaulter (n.)