in default of

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Idioms and Phrases

Through the failure, absence, or lack of, as in In default of a better solution, we'll have to make do with this one . This term was originally put as for default of , but John Gower had the current wording in Confessio Amantis (1397): “The fish, if it be dry, might in default of water die.” [Late 1200s]

Word of the Day

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

indefatigable indefeasible

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