defect
defect — noun
1. A shortcoming in a product, machine, design, or system that stops it from workin
A shortcoming in a product, machine, design, or system that stops it from working as it should or makes it less good than it ought to be.
The manufacturer recalled the phone due to a defect in the battery that could cause overheating.
defect in [part] — specifies the location of the flaw
Before selling the apartment, Ilan had to fix a structural defect in the foundation.
Quality control inspectors found a tiny defect in the paintwork of every third vehicle.
The engineer traced the engine failure to a manufacturing defect in one of the valves.
A software defect caused the banking app to crash whenever users tried to log in.
- flaw
more general; can be minor and does not always affect function (a flaw in a diamond)
- fault
often implies responsibility or blame; used in legal and engineering contexts (a design fault)
- imperfection
milder, more about appearance than function (a small imperfection in the wood)
- perfection
the state of being entirely without defects
用法筆記
Commonly paired with prepositions 'in' (defect in the wiring) or 'of' (defect of design). Frequently used with adjectives indicating severity: major, minor, serious, critical.
常見錯誤
2. A medical condition, often present from birth, in which a specific organ or body
A medical condition, often present from birth, in which a specific organ or body structure does not develop or function in the normal healthy way.
The baby was born with a heart defect that required surgery within the first year.
born with a [body part] defect — congenital condition pattern
A routine eye exam revealed a minor defect in the lens of Ayana's left eye.
Some hearing defects can be corrected with small electronic devices worn inside the ear.
The doctor explained that the spinal defect was treatable with physical therapy and regular exercise.
- abnormality
broader term for anything outside the normal range; can be less severe than a defect
- malformation
specifically refers to a body part that is wrongly shaped; more technical
用法筆記
Often used in medical contexts with specific body parts: heart defect, spinal defect, vision defect, hearing defect. The phrase 'birth defect' is common and refers to conditions present at birth.
常見錯誤
defect — verb
1. To leave your own country, political party, or military group and go over to an
To leave your own country, political party, or military group and go over to an opposing one, often because you no longer agree with its beliefs or actions.
The general defected to the enemy side, taking important military documents with him.
defect to [opposing group]
Several members of the ruling party defected and joined the opposition ahead of the election.
During the civil war, hundreds of soldiers defected from the army to the rebel forces.
The diplomat defected after learning that his intelligence network had been exposed.
- stay loyal
to remain faithful to one's country or party
文法句型
defect + to [group/side]
defect + from [group/country]
用法筆記
Pronunciation differs from the noun: the verb is stressed on the second syllable /dɪˈfekt/. Frequently used with 'to' (the destination) and 'from' (the origin). A person who defects is called a 'defector'.
常見錯誤
2. To leave an employer or a business you regularly buy from, and give your work or
To leave an employer or a business you regularly buy from, and give your work or custom to a rival instead.
An engineer defected from a large tech firm to a startup that offered more creative freedom.
defect from [company] to [company] — business switching pattern
The firm lost three major clients when they defected to a rival advertising agency.
Brandon defected to a competitor after the management refused to promote him.
Rin's employer lost a big contract when their main supplier defected to a cheaper rival.
- stay
to remain with the same employer or business
文法句型
defect + to [competitor]
defect + from [company]
用法筆記
Extended from the political/military sense. In business contexts, 'defect' sounds more dramatic than 'switch' or 'move' — it implies a meaningful change of loyalty, not just a routine job change.