default
failure to act; inaction or neglect: They lost their best client by sheer default.
Finance. failure to meet financial obligations, as when a borrower misses or stops making monthly loan payments: A default on your mortgage can lead to losing the house.
Law. failure to perform an act or obligation legally required, especially to appear in court or to plead at a time assigned: The judge dismissed the suit for default of the defendant.
Sports. failure to arrive in time for, participate in, or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.: So far the Cougars have had three losses, two wins, and one default.
a person’s automatic or standard way of acting or responding; go-to or reflex: Her default is to argue about everything I say, unless she’s in a really good mood.
Computers. a value that a program or operating system assumes, or a course of action that a program or operating system will take, when the user or programmer specifies no overriding value or action.
being a person’s automatic or standard action, response, etc.; go-to: Chocolate is my default choice for ice cream, but when I feel adventurous I’ll go for something more exotic.
Computers. (of a value, action, etc.) preset or preselected, unless the user or programmer gives other input or instruction: The default contrast setting on this display is 50 percent.
to fail to meet financial obligations, such as payments on a loan, or to account properly for money in one's care: After he defaulted twice, the bank foreclosed on the car.
to fail in fulfilling or satisfying an engagement, claim, or obligation: They said they would pick me up, but defaulted at the last minute.
Law. to fail to appear in court: One of the key witnesses defaulted.
Sports.
to fail to participate in or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.: I only placed in that race because my chief rival defaulted.
to lose a scheduled game, race, etc., by default.
to behave or respond in a certain way automatically, habitually, or by preference (usually followed by to): It seems that in your relationships you default to being a caregiver instead of a partner.
Computers. (of a program or operating system) to assume a preset value or take a preselected action unless otherwise instructed by the user or programmer (usually followed by to): Your profile defaults to public unless you set the permissions to private.
to fail to perform or pay: to default a debt.
to declare to be in default, especially legally: The judge defaulted the defendant.
Law. to lose by failure to appear in court.
Sports.
to fail to compete in (a scheduled game, race, etc.).
to lose by default.
Idioms about default
in default of, for lack or want of; in the absence of: In default of male heirs, his daughters inherited his property.
Origin of default
1Other words from default
- non·de·fault·ing, adjective, noun
- pre·de·fault, noun, verb
- un·de·fault·ed, adjective
- un·de·fault·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use default in a sentence
But the probability of a state or a state-like entity defaulting is exceedingly, exceedingly low.
The mere threat to withhold authorization, in fact, is as damaging to our credit rating as actually defaulting.
Never Mind Obamacare. Worry About the Debt Ceiling. | William L. McComb | October 1, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTOn Monday, Batista was forced to deny that he was defaulting on his debts.
The Brutal Fall of Brazilian Billionaire Eike Batista | Mac Margolis | June 25, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTGoing over the fiscal cliff would have meant the U.S. defaulting on its debts and precipitating a global financial meltdown.
Sequester Looms as Democrats and GOP Make Little Effort to Resolve Impasse | Eleanor Clift | February 6, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTIn 2010 Google attracted the ire of consumer advocates by defaulting Gmail users into its Google Buzz service.
Facebook’s Brazen Switch: User Email Addresses Change to @Facebook.com | Jesse Singal | June 25, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
That these were their defaulting retainers was an idea which the first glance served to dispel.
The Luck of Gerard Ridgeley | Bertram MitfordAustria turned against him ; all Europe was eager to rise against this defaulting trustee of freedom, this mere usurper.
The Outline of History: Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind | Herbert George WellsThe daughter of a defaulting cashier, a dishonored man whom justice pursues and the galleys await!
Other People's Money | Emile GaboriauThis is purification only in the sense that a defaulting cashier purifies the firm he robs.
Theism or Atheism | Chapman CohenIn one instance the defaulting contractor at Plymouth was fined £300 and imprisoned for six months in the County Gaol.
The Depot for Prisoners of War at Norman Cross Huntingdonshire | Thomas James Walker
British Dictionary definitions for default
/ (dɪˈfɔːlt) /
a failure to act, esp a failure to meet a financial obligation or to appear in a court of law at a time specified
absence or lack
by default in the absence of opposition or a better alternative: he became prime minister by default
in default of through or in the lack or absence of
judgment by default law a judgment in the plaintiff's favour when the defendant fails to plead or to appear
lack, want, or need
(also ˈdiːfɔːlt) computing
the preset selection of an option offered by a system, which will always be followed except when explicitly altered
(as modifier): default setting
(intr; often foll by on or in) to fail to make payment when due
(intr) to fail to fulfil or perform an obligation, engagement, etc: to default in a sporting contest
law to lose (a case) by failure to appear in court
(tr) to declare that (someone) is in default
Origin of default
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for default
Failure to pay a debt when it is due.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with default
see in default of.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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