FIND FAULT

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does find fault mean? 

• FIND FAULT (verb)
  The verb FIND FAULT has 1 sense:

1. harass with constant criticism

  Familiarity information: FIND FAULT used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FIND FAULT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Harass with constant criticism

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

blame; find fault; pick

Context example:

Don't always pick on your little brother

Hypernyms (to "find fault" is one way to...):

criticise; criticize; knock; pick apart (find fault with; express criticism of; point out real or perceived flaws)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

faultfinder (someone who is critical of the motives of others)

 Context examples 

Not that I mean to find fault with you, for such things I know are all chance in this world.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

It's only his indigestion I find fault with.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Mr. Knightley loves to find fault with me, you know—in a joke—it is all a joke.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I hear some of our sea Yahoos find fault with my sea-language, as not proper in many parts, nor now in use.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

“Then don't find fault with me,” said Dora, making a rosebud of her mouth; “and I'll be good.”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Not long after a suitor appeared, and as he appeared to be very rich and the miller could see nothing in him with which to find fault, he betrothed his daughter to him.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I wish Fred was dark, for I don't fancy light men, however, the Vaughns are very rich and come of an excellent family, so I won't find fault with their yellow hair, as my own is yellower.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She would not be in a hurry to find fault, but she suspected that there was no elegance;—ease, but not elegance.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

He then began to find fault with other parts of my body: the flatness of my face, the prominence of my nose, mine eyes placed directly in front, so that I could not look on either side without turning my head: that I was not able to feed myself, without lifting one of my fore-feet to my mouth: and therefore nature had placed those joints to answer that necessity.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

She had been a friend and companion such as few possessed: intelligent, well-informed, useful, gentle, knowing all the ways of the family, interested in all its concerns, and peculiarly interested in herself, in every pleasure, every scheme of hers—one to whom she could speak every thought as it arose, and who had such an affection for her as could never find fault.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)