n. [ L. defectus, fr. deficere, defectum, to desert, fail, be wanting; de- + facere to make, do. See Fact, Feat, and cf. Deficit. ]
Errors have been corrected, and defects supplied. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]
Trust not yourself; but, your defects to know,
Make use of every friend -- and every foe. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]
Among boys little tenderness is shown to personal defects. Macaulay.
v. i. To fail; to become deficient. [ Obs. ] “Defected honor.” Warner. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t. To injure; to damage. “None can my life defect.” [ R. ] Troubles of Q. Elizabeth (1639). [ 1913 Webster ]
n. Deficiency; imperfection. [ R. ] Ld. Digby. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Liable to defect; imperfect. [ R. ] “A defectible understanding.” Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ L. defectio: cf. F. défection. See Defect. ] Act of abandoning a person or cause to which one is bound by allegiance or duty, or to which one has attached himself; desertion; failure in duty; a falling away; apostasy; backsliding. “Defection and falling away from God.” Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]
The general defection of the whole realm. Sir J. Davies. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. One who advocates or encourages defection. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Having defects; imperfect. [ Obs. ] “Some one defectious piece.” Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. [ L. defectivus: cf. F. défectif. See Defect. ]
n.
☞ Under the term defectives are included deaf-mutes, the blind, the feeble-minded, the insane, and sometimes, esp. in criminology, criminals and paupers. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]