defective, a. and n.
(dɪˈfɛktɪv)
Also 5 defectif, -yf, def(f)ectyff(e, 5–6 def(f)ectyve.
[a. F. défectif, -ive (14th c. in Littré), ad. L. dēfectīv-us (Tertull.), f. dēfect-, ppl. stem of dēficĕre: see defect v.]
A. adj.
1. a. Having a defect or defects; wanting some essential part or proper quality; faulty, imperfect, incomplete.
| 1472 in Surtees Misc. (1890) 25 The crosse in the markythe his defectyff & lyke to fall. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. clxiv. 148 And tho lete kyng edward amende the lawes of walys that were defectif. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 4 Weightes and mesures so found defectif to be forfeit and brent. 1528 Paynel Salerne's Regim. X iv b, Saffron comfortethe defectiue membres, and principallye the harte. 1599 Sandys Europæ Spec. (1632) 153 For a Prince hee hath beene thought somwhat defective. 1663 Gerbier Counsel 8 Why modern and daily Buildings are so exceedingly Defective? 1781 Cowper Poems, Ep. to Lady Austen 62 In aid of our defective sight. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xxiv. 171 My defective French pronunciation. 1893 Law Times' Rep. LXVIII. 309/1 The defective condition of the drains. |
b. defective fifth (in Music): an interval containing a semitone less than the perfect fifth. defective hyperbola (in Math.): = deficient hyperbola.
| 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Semi-Diapason, a Term in Musick, signifying a defective or imperfect Octave. 1727–51 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Curve, [Newton's] Enumeration of the Curves of the second kind..Six are defective parabolas, having no diameters..Seven are defective hyperbolas, having diameters. 1730–6 Bailey (folio), Semidiapente, a defective fifth, called a false fifth. |
c. spec. Mentally defective.
| 1898 Amer. Jrnl. Sociology Nov. 334 Numerous are the cases of idiotic women, the mothers of defective illegitimate children. 1899 Act 62 & 63 Vict. c. 32 §1 A school authority..may..make such arrangements..for ascertaining—(a) what children in their district, not being imbecile, and not being merely dull or backward, are defective, that is to say, what children by reason of mental or physical defect are incapable of receiving proper benefit from..instruction in the ordinary..schools. 1908 A. F. Tredgold Mental Deficiency viii. 123 A group of children existed who were so far defective that they could not be satisfactorily taught in the ordinary public schools, but who were not sufficiently defective to be certified as imbeciles or idiots. Ibid. 124 These defective children would suffer by association with imbeciles. 1933 L. P. Clark Amentia p. xi, Though our compassion be great for the defective child, the need of understanding [etc.]. |
2. defective in († defective of): wanting or deficient in.
| 1599 Sandys Europæ Spec. (1632) 112 A soveraigne preservative, and defective of no vertue save Iustice and Mercy. 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 233 All which the Moore is defectiue in. a 1639 W. Whately Prototypes i. xi. (1640) 107 Why are we so defective in this duty? 1689 Evelyn Mem. (1857) III. 305 Hence it is that we are in England so defective of good libraries. 1713 Addison Guard. No. 110 ¶2 Our tragedy writers have been notoriously defective in giving proper sentiments to the persons they introduce. 1875 Jowell Plato (ed. 2) IV. 121 The first portion of the dialogue is in no way defective in ease and grace. |
† 3. At fault; that has committed a fault or offence; guilty of error or wrongdoing. Obs.
| 1401 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 106 Thou puttist defaut to prestes, as erst thou didist to curates. I wot thai ben defectif, bot ȝit stondith Cristis religion. 1467 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 389 Yf suche a persone may be founde defectyf by xij. men lawfully sworen. 1504 W. Atkynson tr. De Imitatione iii. xv, If thou founde thy aungels defectyue & impure. 1518 Act 10 Hen. VIII in Stat. Irel. (1621) 56 Persons..so founden defective or trespassing in any of the said statutes. 1677 Govt. Venice 189 When any of them is defective, he is responsible to that terrible Court. |
4. Wanting or lacking (to the completeness of anything).
| 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 55 To supply that which was defective in some, or to correct what was amisse in others. 1711 Strype Parker iv. iii. (R.), To have written thereon what was defective. 1714 tr. Rivella 68 He..did not then dream there was any thing in her Person defective to his Happiness. 1864 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. (1865) IV. xii. v. 162, I wish you had a Fortunatus hat; it is the only thing defective in your outfit. |
5. Gram. Wanting one or more of the usual forms of declension, conjugation, etc.
| 1530 Palsgr. Introd. 30 Verbes parsonall be of thre sortes, parfyte, anomales, and defectyves. Ibid. 36 Some be yet more deffectyves. 1824 L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 168 Defective Verbs are those which are used only in some of their moods and tenses, (e.g.) Can, could..Ought..quoth. |
† 6. defective cause: see deficient a. 3. Obs.
| 1624 N. De Lawne tr. Du Moulin's Logick 60 Under the Efficient cause we comprehend the cause which is called Defective. As the want of sight is the cause of going astray. 1678 Gale Crt. Gentiles III. 195 Albeit Gods wil be the effective and predeterminative cause of the substrate mater of sin, yet it is no way a defective or moral cause of sin. |
B. n.
† 1. A thing defective or wanting. Obs.
| 1497 Bp. Alcock Mons Perfect. A iij/2 No defectyue to their comforte. |
† 2. a. gen. One who is defective. Obs.
| a 1592 H. Smith Wks. (1866–7) I. 444, I cannot tell what to make of these defectives..they neither weep nor dance..they weep almost, and dance almost. |
b. spec. A person who is deficient in one or more of the physical senses or powers. U.S.
| 1881 G. S. Hall German Culture 267 She [Laura Bridgman] is not apt, like many defectives, to fall asleep if left alone or unemployed. 1892 J. B. Weber in N. Amer. Rev. Apr. 425 Their paupers, criminals, or other defectives. |
c. A mental defective (see mental a.).
| 1899 Pop. Sci. Monthly Apr. 747 Laws preventing the marriage of defectives and of their immediate descendents would go far to stem the tide of harmful heredity. 1908 A. F. Tredgold Mental Deficiency viii. 127 A proportion of the urban defectives attending special schools are returned as cured to the ordinary schools. 1913 Act 3 & 4 Geo. V c. 38 §1 The following classes of persons who are mentally defective shall be deemed to be defectives within the meaning of this Act:—(a) Idiots... (b) Imbeciles [etc.]. 1922 [see mental a.]. 1937 H. G. Wells Star Begotten vi. 90 Institutions for defectives, lunatic asylums. 1964 M. Critchley Developmental Dyslexia xiii. 74 Any total series will probably include some children who are dullards, if not indeed defectives. |
3. Gram. A defective part of speech. (Also fig.)
| 1612 Brinsley Pos. Parts (1669) 100 Rehearse the several sorts of Defectives..Aptots, Monoptots, Diptots, [etc.]. 1627–77 Feltham Resolves ii. iv. 166 Certainly a Lyer, though never so plausible, is but a defective of the present tense. 1863 W. Smith tr. Curtius' Gr. Gram. §200 Observe further the Defectives: ὕστερος later, ὕστατος ultimus, [etc.]. |