er|ror

er|ror «EHR uhr», noun.

1. something done that is wrong; something that is not as it ought to be; mistake: »

I failed my test because of errors in spelling. There is an error in the date of his birth.

2. the condition of being wrong, mistaken, or incorrect: »

You are in error; your answer is wrong. All men are liable to error (John Locke).

3. wrongdoing; sin: »

Into the second [tabernacle] went the high priest…not without blood which he offered…for the errors of the people (Hebrews 9:7).

4. Baseball. a faulty play in catching or throwing that costs the team in the field an out or allows a runner to advance.

5. Bowling. = break¹ (noun. def. 15). (Cf. ↑break)

6. Mathematics. the difference between the observed or approximate amount and the correct amount.

7. Archaic. the action of wandering or roving: »

The damsel's headlong error thro' the wood (Tennyson).

╂[< Old French error < Latin error < errāre err]

–er´ror|less, adjective.

Synonym Study 1 Error, mistake mean something incorrect or wrong. Error applies to any incorrect or wrong act; unimportant or serious, careless or intentional, easily excused or deserving blame: »

The typist failed to get the job because of errors in spelling.

Mistake applies to an error in judgment or understanding or to something done thoughtlessly or by oversight: »

My mistake was failing to buy land when it was cheap.