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default

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Definition of default

noun

Pronunciation: /dɪˈfɔːlt, ˈdiːfɔːlt/
  • 1 [mass noun] failure to fulfil an obligation, especially to repay a loan or appear in a law court:the company will have to restructure its debts to avoid default [count noun]:the deteriorating economy pushed defaults to almost $20 billion
  • 2 [in singular] a preselected option adopted by a computer program or other mechanism when no alternative is specified by the user or programmer: the default is fifty lines [as modifier]:default settings
  • [usually as modifier] something that is usual or standard:all my life, envy has been my default emotion SSRIs have become the default for adults with depression

verb

Pronunciation: /dɪˈfɔːlt/
[no object]
  • 1fail to fulfil an obligation, especially to repay a loan or to appear in a law court:the dealer could repossess the goods if the customer defaulted some had defaulted on student loans
  • [with object] declare (a party) to have defaulted and give judgement against that party:two semi-finalists were defaulted
  • 2 (default to) (of a computer program or other mechanism) revert automatically to (a preselected option):when you start a fresh letter the system will default to its own style

Phrases

by default

because of a lack of opposition: they won the last election by default
through lack of positive action rather than conscious choice:he became an actor by default

go by default

Law (of a case) be decided in favour of one party because of lack of opposition by the other party: the case against us has gone by default

in default

guilty of failing to repay a loan or appear in a law court: the company is already in default on its loans

in default of

in the absence of:in default of agreement the rent was to be determined by a surveyor

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French defaut, from defaillir 'to fail', based on Latin fallere 'disappoint, deceive'

default in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of default in the US English dictionary

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