FAULTsomething wrong1 something wrong with a machine, system, plan etc2 a fault in someone's characterwhen somebody causes something bad to happen3 when something bad is someone's fault4 when something is not someone's faultRELATED WORDSoppositeWORKINGsee alsoPROBLEMBROKEN/NOT BROKEN1 something wrong with a machine, system, plan etc 机器、系统、计划等出了问题fault /fɔːlt/ [countable noun]something wrong with one of the parts of a machine that prevents it from working properly 差错，毛病，故障 Quality control staff are employed to check for any faults. 质量控制人员被聘请来检查是否有故障。fault in I think there's a fault in one of the loudspeakers. 我觉得其中一个扬声器有问题。 The fault could be either in the tape or in the VCR. 毛病不是出在录像带上，就是出在录像机上。electrical/mechanical/technical etc fault The rocket launch was delayed because of a technical fault. 由于出现一个技术故障，火箭发射被推迟了。defect /ˈdiːfekt, dɪˈfekt/ [countable noun]something wrong with a product or machine, especially caused by a mistake in the way it was made or designed 〔产品或机器尤在制作上或设计上的〕缺点，瑕疵 All the computers are checked for defects before they leave the factory. 所有电脑在出厂前都要检查有无缺陷。defect in A defect in the braking system caused several accidents before the car was recalled. 这种汽车在被召回之前，其刹车系统中的一个瑕疵已造成了多起事故。 Investigators found a defect in the design of the ship. 调查人员发现了该船设计上的一个缺陷。problem /ˈprɒbləmǁˈprɑː-/ [countable noun]something that stops a machine or system from working normally 〔机器或系统中的〕问题，故障 Please call 5326 if you have any computer problems. 你如果碰到任何电脑方面的问题，请致电5326。problem with There seems to be some kind of problem with the heaters. 暖气好像出了问题。problem in Engineers were unable to find the source of the problem in the spacecraft's cooling system. 工程师无法找到宇宙飞船冷却系统中的问题所在。trouble /ˈtrʌbəl/ [uncountable noun]something wrong with a machine, car etc, especially when you do not know exactly what is causing it 〔机器、汽车等的〕问题，麻烦 If you have engine trouble, park as far to the side of the road as possible. 如果遇到引擎出故障就尽量把车往路边停靠。have trouble If you used the same tape later and had no trouble with the picture, the problem is probably in the VCR. 假如后来又使用同一盘录像带而图像没有问题，那么问题可能就出在录像机上。trouble with We've been having some trouble with the air-conditioning. 我们的空调系统一直出问题。the troublethe particular thing causing the problem 问题的根源 I think we've found out what the trouble is. 我想我们已经发现故障出在哪儿了。flaw/weakness /flɔː, ˈwiːkns/ [countable noun]something wrong with a plan, system, or set of ideas, which may make the whole thing useless or not effective 〔可能导致某一计划、体系或一系列想法全盘无效的〕缺陷，瑕疵 His plan seemed foolproof, but I was sure there was a flaw somewhere. 他的计划似乎万无一失，但我肯定什么地方有缺陷。 The program has serious weaknesses, and I would avoid using it. 这一程序有严重缺陷，我不会使用它的。flaw/weakness in There are several obvious flaws in his argument. 他的论据有几处明显的漏洞。 One major weakness in the study is that it is based on a very small sample. 这项研究的一个主要不足之处在于它的根据只是一个很小的样本。bug /bʌg/ [countable noun]a small problem in a computer or a computer system 〔电脑或电脑系统中的〕小错误 The program suffers from some minor bugs, but is still better than the first version. 这个程序有些小错误，但仍比第一个版本要好。 Some chips contained a bug that caused computers to crash frequently. 一些芯片中包含一个缺陷，造成电脑频繁死机。glitch /glɪtʃ/ [countable noun]a small fault in the way something works, that can usually be corrected easily 小故障，小事故 As the glitches are found and corrected, the process is speeding up. 故障被发现并纠正后，过程就加快了。glitch in A glitch in the system shut down the telephone service to nearly 6 million customers. 系统中出现的一个小故障使近600万用户的电话服务中断了。technical/mechanical etc glitch NASA officials found a way to work around the technical glitch on the Galileo spacecraft. 美国国家航空航天局的官员找到了解决伽利略号航天器上的技术故障的办法。virus /ˈvaɪərəs/ [countable noun]a set of instructions that someone puts secretly into other people's computers, that can destroy information stored in them or stop them working correctly 〔电脑〕病毒 The disk was accidentally infected with a virus called ‘Stoned III’. 这张磁盘意外感染了一种名为StonedIII的病毒。 Computer users from around the world reported that the virus had invaded their systems. 世界各地的电脑用户纷纷报告说该病毒已侵袭了他们的系统。 an anti-virus program 杀毒程序be something wrong with/be something the matter with /biː something ˈrɒŋ wɪðǁ-ˈrɔːŋ-, biː something ðə ˈmætəʳ wɪð/ [verb phrase]spokensay this when there is a problem in a machine, part of a car etc, but you do not know exactly what it is 【口】〔机器、汽车部件等〕出了问题 I think there's something wrong with the clutch in my car. 我觉得我那辆汽车的离合器有问题。 I don't know what's the matter with it, but I can't get it to work. 我不知道它哪里出了问题，但我就是无法让它正常运转。 There are programs that will help you figure out what's wrong with your PC, and help you correct it. 有程序可以帮助你找出你的个人电脑哪里出了问题，并且帮你纠正它。2 a fault in someone's character 某人性格上的缺点fault /fɔːlt/ [countable noun usually plural]a bad point in someone's character 缺点 The secret of a good relationship is to accept the other person's faults, and not try to make them change. 保持友好关系的秘诀是接受别人的缺点，不要试图去改变它们。have his/her/their faults She's my best friend and I love her dearly, but she has her faults. 她是我最要好的朋友，我非常爱她，但她也有她的不足之处。for all his/her/their faultseven though they have these faults 尽管他/她/他们有缺点 For all his faults, he was a good father. 尽管他有这些缺点，他仍是个好父亲。flaw/weakness /flɔː, ˈwiːkns/ [countable noun]a small fault in someone's character or a lack of a good quality such as courage or good judgement 弱点；短处 The flaw that leads to Othello's downfall is his jealousy. 导致奥赛罗毁灭的缺点就是他的忌妒心。 The biographer believes that flaws in Kennedy's character weakened his leadership of the nation. 这位传记作家相信肯尼迪性格上的缺点削弱了他对国家的领导。 Despite his weaknesses, he was a fair man. 虽然他有些缺点，他仍是一个公正的人。shortcomings /ˈʃɔːʳtkʌmɪŋz/ [plural noun]the faults in someone's character - use this especially when you are saying that the person has good qualities too 短处，缺点，不足之处 He acknowledged his own shortcomings, including at times being stubborn and a little vain. 他承认了自己的缺点，包括有时候会很固执，并有点自视过高。 Whatever his shortcomings, Hamilton was one of the great men in American history. 不论汉密尔顿有些什么缺点，他仍是美国历史上伟大的人物之一。3 when something bad is someone's fault 某件坏事是某人的过失be somebody's fault /biː somebodyˈs ˈfɔːlt/ [verb phrase]if somethingis someone's fault, they are responsible for it, especially because they made a mistake 是某人的过失；是某人的错 He played very well, and it is not his fault we lost. 他表现很好，我们输了不是他的错。be somebody's own faultwhen someone is responsible for something bad that happens to them 咎由自取 Marie failed the exam, but it was her own fault - she didn't do any work. 玛丽未通过考试，但那是她自己不好—她什么功课也不做。be sb's fault (that) I'm so sorry. It's my fault that we're so late. 很抱歉，我们这么晚到是我不好。be sb's fault for doing something Of course she was angry - but it's your fault for telling her about the whole thing in the first place. 她当然要生气了，但把这件事全都告诉她首先就是你的错。the fault of somebody Suggesting that our problems are the fault of someone else won't solve anything. 示意我们的问题是别人的错误造成的，不能解决什么。be to blame /biː tə ˈbleɪm/ [verb phrase]if someone or somethingis to blame for a bad situation, they caused it 是…的过错，应该怪… When kids do badly at school, it's not always the teachers who are to blame. 假如小孩子在学校表现很差，不一定总是老师的错。be to blame for Some people think television is to blame for a lot of the problems in modern society. 一些人认为现代社会中的许多问题都要归罪于电视。 She was as much to blame for the breakup of their marriage as he was. 对婚姻的破裂她和他负有同样的责任。be responsible /biː rɪˈspɒnsbəlǁ-ˈspɑːn-/ [verb phrase]if someoneis responsible for an accident, crime etc, they caused it and they should be punished for it 有责任 The police are trying to find out who was responsible. 警方正设法查出这是谁的责任。be responsible for There is a reward for information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for the explosion. 悬赏缉拿造成此次爆炸的人。feel responsiblethink that something is your fault 自问该负责 I knew the accident wasn't really my fault, but I can't help feeling a little responsible. 我知道这次事故其实不是我的错，但我忍不住感到自己也负有一些责任。be at fault /biː ət ˈfɔːlt/ [verb phrase]if someone, especially a group of people or an organization,is at fault, they are responsible for something bad that has happened because they did not behave correctly or did not take enough care 〔尤指一群人或某个组织〕有过错〔因行为不当或不够小心〕 The accident report found both drivers to be at fault. 事故调查报告认定两名驾车者均有过错。be at fault for doing something With regard to the chaos after the earthquake, many people believe the government is at fault for not responding quickly enough. 鉴于地震后的混乱，许多人认为政府反应不够迅速，因而负有责任。only have yourself to blame /ˌəʊnli hæv jɔːʳˈself tə ˌbleɪm/ [verb phrase not in progressive]if youonly have yourself to blame for something bad that has happened, it is your own fault that it happened and you should not feel sorry for yourself 只能怪你自己 His wife's left him but he only has himself to blame. 妻子已离他而去，但这只能怪他自己。only have yourself to blame for doing something I've only got myself to blame for losing the race. 我输掉这场比赛只能怪我自己。blame yourself /ˌbleɪm jɔːʳˈself/ [verb phrase]to think that it is your fault that something bad has happened, so that you feel very upset or ashamed 自责 You mustn't blame yourself -- it wasn't your fault. 你不应该自责—那不是你的错。 Children sometimes feel responsible for their parents divorcing and blame themselves. 孩子们有时候觉得父母离婚他们也有责任，所以会自责。blame yourself for He never stopped blaming himself for his wife's death. 对妻子的死他一直责备自己。4 when something is not someone's fault 某事不是某人的错be not somebody's fault /biː nɒt somebodyˈs ˈfɔːlt/ [verb phrase]if something is not someone's fault, they did not make it happen and they should not be blamed for it 不是某人的过错 Try not to worry about it too much - it's not your fault. 别为它过分担心，又不是你的错。 She felt guilty, even though the accident wasn't her fault. 她感到内疚，虽然这起事故不是她的过失。be not sb's fault (that) It wasn't the builders’ fault that the work wasn't finished on time. 工程没有按时完成不是建筑商的过错。through no fault of your own /θruː nəʊ ˌfɔːlt əv jɔːr ˈəʊn/ [adverb]if something bad happensthrough no fault of your own, it is not your fault that it happens but you suffer because of it 并非由于自己的过错 The center exists to help those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. 该中心旨在帮助那些并非由于自己的过失而失去工作的人。 Because of the budget cuts, some students, through no fault of their own, may have a hard time paying their way. 由于削减了预算，那些无辜受到影响的学生可能很难承担完成学业所需的费用了。not be to blame /nɒt biː tə ˈbleɪm/ [verb phrase]to not be responsible for something bad that happens - use this especially when other people think you might have done something to make it happen 并无过错，不该受到指责 The press won't leave him alone, but he wasn't really to blame. 报界对他不肯罢休，但他其实是无辜的。not be to blame for Hospital workers were not to blame for a nine-year-old's death, a court decided yesterday. 法庭昨天判定，医务人员对一名九岁儿童的死亡并无过错。 The report said that no one was to blame for the accident. 这份报告说没有人对此事故负有责任。can't help it /ˌkɑːnt ˈhelp ɪtǁˌkænt-/ [verb phrase]especially spokenuse this to say that someone should not be blamed for something because they cannot stop it from happening 【尤口】实在没办法，免不了 ‘Stop walking up and down like that!’ ‘I can't help it - I'm really nervous.’ “别这样来来回回地走个不停！”“我也没办法呀，实在太紧张了。” I tried not to cry but I just couldn't help it. 我想不哭，可就是忍不住。can't help it if He can't help it if they didn't understand what he was telling them to do. 如果他们不明白他要他们干什么，那他也没办法了。