Hypertext Webster Gateway: "defective"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Defective \De*fect"ive\, a. [L. defectivus: cf. F. d['e]fectif.
See {Defect}.]
1. Wanting in something; incomplete; lacking a part;
deficient; imperfect; faulty; -- applied either to natural
or moral qualities; as, a defective limb; defective
timber; a defective copy or account; a defective
character; defective rules.
2. (Gram.) Lacking some of the usual forms of declension or
conjugation; as, a defective noun or verb. --
{De*fect"ive*ly}, adv. -- {De*fect"ive*ness}, n.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Defective \De*fect"ive\, n.
1. Anything that is defective or lacking in some respect.
2. (Med.) One who is lacking physically or mentally.
Note: Under the term defectives are included deaf-mutes, the
blind, the feeble-minded, the insane, and sometimes,
esp. in criminology, criminals and paupers.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
defective
adj 1: having a defect; "I returned the appliance because it was
defective" [syn: {faulty}]
2: markedly subnormal in structure or function or intelligence
or behavior; "defective speech"
3: not working properly; "a bad telephone connection"; "a
defective appliance" [syn: {bad}]
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