如何清楚区别以下几个单词的意义:
defect,
fault,
flaw,
mistake,
error.

以上五个单词可分为两组defect, fault 和flaw指"毛病","缺点";mistake和 error指"错误".
一.
1.defect着重由于某种缺陷而影响到质量,因而也泛指一般缺点.例如:
Verbsity is the chief defect in his writing.[他写作的主要毛病是囉嗦]
This piece of cloth seems to be free from those defects.[这块布好象没有那些毛病]

2.fault一般多指性格上的"弱点"或行为上的"过失".例如:
With all his faults, he is still a good comrade.[尽管他有这些弱点,他还是一个好同志.]
I am not answerable for his fault.[对他的过失,我不能负责]

3.flaw 原意是"缝隙",意味着破裂或不能衔接,因此常用于文章,论证,暗示使批评者"有隙可乘".例如:
Can you detect any flaw in his argument?[你能在他的论点中找出任何漏洞来么?]

二.mistake, error往往可以通用;例如:a grammatical mistake
(error)[语法错误],a mistake (an error)in calculation[计算错误]等.
两个词的主要区别在于:
1.mistake较error通俗常用.
2.名词mistake多少带有动词mistake的愿义,即"把一物错认为另一物".例如: I mistook him for his brother.[我把他错认为他的兄弟了].因此mistake往往暗示由于认识上的缺点而无心犯下的错误.如:
No one is proof against mistakes.[谁也不能永远不犯错误].
3.error来自err,原意是"走错路线"或"误入歧途",因此常意味着违反某一既定标准.例如:
In transcribing the characters from the bronze,he has
made a number of errors.[在抄录铜器上的刻文时,他搞错了几个字].
4.两个词在用法上有几点不同:
You are mistaken.-----不能说You are erred, You are erring
和You are erroneous.
You are in error.-----不能说You are in mistake.
You are labouring under an error.(不能换用mistake.)