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Flaw vs Failing - What's the difference?

flaw | failing | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between flaw and failing

is that flaw is a flake, fragment, or shiver while failing is weakness; defect.

As verbs the difference between flaw and failing

is that flaw is to add a flaw to, to make imperfect or defective while failing is present participle of lang=en.

As a preposition failing is

if the preferred or prior option is not possible.

flaw

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) flawe, .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A flake, fragment, or shiver.
  • (obsolete) A thin cake, as of ice.
  • A crack or breach, a gap or fissure; a defect of continuity or cohesion.
    • There is a flaw in that knife.
    That vase has a flaw .
  • * Shakespeare
    • This heart / Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws .
  • A defect, fault, or imperfection, especially one that is hidden.
  • * South
    • Has not this also its flaws and its dark side?
  • A defect or error in a contract or other document which may make the document invalid.
    • a flaw in a will, in a deed, or in a statute
    Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * tragic flaw

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To add a flaw to, to make imperfect or defective.
  • To become imperfect or defective.

    • Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A sudden burst or gust of wind of short duration.
  • * Milton
    • Snow, and hail, and stormy gust and flaw .
  • * Tennyson
    • Like flaws in summer laying lusty corn.
  • A storm of short duration.
  • A sudden burst of noise and disorder; a tumult; uproar; a quarrel.
  • * Dryden
    • And deluges of armies from the town / Came pouring in; I heard the mighty flaw .

    Anagrams

    * ----

    failing

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • weakness; defect
    • His worst failing is his temper.

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • if the preferred or prior option is not possible
    • A large proportion of the females employed in other firms are said to have signified their intention of going on strike, failing a settlement.