DEFECT

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does defect mean? 

• DEFECT (noun)
  The noun DEFECT has 4 senses:

1. an imperfection in a bodily system

2. a failing or deficiency

3. an imperfection in an object or machine

4. a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body)

  Familiarity information: DEFECT used as a noun is uncommon.

• DEFECT (verb)
  The verb DEFECT has 1 sense:

1. desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army

  Familiarity information: DEFECT used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEFECT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An imperfection in a bodily system

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

this device permits detection of defects in the lungs

Hypernyms ("defect" is a kind of...):

imperfection; imperfectness (the state or an instance of being imperfect)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defect"):

myelatelia (any developmental defect of the spinal cord)

birth defect; congenital abnormality; congenital anomaly; congenital defect; congenital disorder (a defect that is present at birth)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A failing or deficiency

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

defect; shortcoming

Context example:

that interpretation is an unfortunate defect of our lack of information

Hypernyms ("defect" is a kind of...):

disadvantage (the quality of having an inferior or less favorable position)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An imperfection in an object or machine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

defect; fault; flaw

Context example:

if there are any defects you should send it back to the manufacturer

Hypernyms ("defect" is a kind of...):

imperfection; imperfectness (the state or an instance of being imperfect)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defect"):

blister (a flaw on a surface resulting when an applied substance does not adhere (as an air bubble in a coat of paint))

bug; glitch (a fault or defect in a computer program, system, or machine)

hole (a fault)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something (especially on a person's body)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

blemish; defect; mar

Context example:

a facial blemish

Hypernyms ("defect" is a kind of...):

appearance; visual aspect (outward or visible aspect of a person or thing)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "defect"):

chatter mark (a mark made by a chattering tool on the surface of a workpiece)

blackhead; comedo (a black-tipped plug clogging a pore of the skin)

milium; whitehead (a small whitish lump in the skin due to a clogged sebaceous gland)

verruca; wart ((pathology) a firm abnormal elevated blemish on the skin; caused by a virus)

stigma (a skin lesion that is a diagnostic sign of some disease)

blot; daub; slur; smear; smirch; smudge; spot (a blemish made by dirt)

burn; burn mark (a place or area that has been burned (especially on a person's body))

mark; scar; scrape; scratch (an indication of damage)

mole (a small congenital pigmented spot on the skin)

dent; ding; gouge; nick (an impression in a surface (as made by a blow))

crack (a blemish resulting from a break without complete separation of the parts)

check; chip (a mark left after a small piece has been chopped or broken off of something)

birthmark; nevus (a blemish on the skin that is formed before birth)

• DEFECT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they defect ... he / she / it defects
Past simple: defected   
Past participle: defected   
-ing form: defecting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Desert (a cause, a country or an army), often in order to join the opposing cause, country, or army

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

defect; desert

Context example:

If soldiers deserted Hitler's army, they were shot

Hypernyms (to "defect" is one way to...):

flee; fly; take flight (run away quickly)

"Defect" entails doing...:

dissent; protest; resist (express opposition through action or words)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defect"):

rat (desert one's party or group of friends, for example, for one's personal advantage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

defection (withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility)

defection (the state of having rejected your religious beliefs or your political party or a cause (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes))

defector (a person who abandons their duty (as on a military post))

 Context examples 

SCID is caused by defects in genes involved in the development and function of infection-fighting T and B cells.

(Early treatment benefits infants with severe combined immunodeficiency, NIH)

However, worms with a defect in a neuron pair called AFD couldn’t orient to magnetic fields.

(Magnetic Field Sensor Unearthed in Worms, NIH)

Defects in MMR are associated with genome-wide instability, predisposition to certain types of cancer including HNPCC, resistance to certain chemotherapeutic agents, and abnormalities in meiosis and sterility in mammalian systems.

(Mismatch Repair Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

No false move is permissible, otherwise there will be defects.

(Researchers Discovered Proteins Essential to Development of Skeletal Muscle, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

This drop in blood flow was accompanied by the appearance of dementia-like symptoms, including defects in the ability of HSD mice to recognize objects, navigate a maze, and properly build a nest.

(Hold the salt: gut reaction may impair the brains of mice, National Institutes of Health)

This condition is not always pathological and may correct itself as the patient matures; however, it may also present as a birth defect in multiple syndromes.

(Micrognathism, NCI Thesaurus)

The cause of microsatellite instability may be a defect in the ability to repair mistakes made when DNA is copied in the cell.

(Microsatellite instability, NCI Dictionary)

Finally, the researchers studied a group of patients with a gene defect causing them to lack Th17 cells.

(Researchers identify immune culprits linked to inflammation and bone loss in gum disease, National Institutes of Health)

The researchers also found that when mice were given both CBs and alcohol, the likelihood of these birth defects more than doubled.

(Using both marijuana and alcohol during early pregnancy may increase the likelihood of disrupting fetal development, National Institutes of Health)

A heart disorder characterized by a defect in mitral valve structure or function.

(Mitral Valve Disorder, NCI Thesaurus)