Obs. Forms: 6 faltar, -our, faughter, (faultor, 7 faultour, fawter), 6–9 Sc. fauter, -or, 6–8 faulter. [f. FAULT v. + -ER1, and -our, -OR; OF. had fautier adj. guilty.] One who commits a fault; a culprit, delinquent, offender.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 544. Of sic faltouris thair haif tha brocht fyve hunder.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., xxiv. 10.
| The faughter herin, so wilely witted, | |
| To saue his lyfe, apealth to be repride. |
1602. Henley in Arden Rolls, A Presentment of all the ffaultes and fawters 13 Octr. 1602.
1634. Heywood, Mayden-head well Lost, II. Wks. 1874, IV. 120.
| Oh Heauen! in this I your assistance craue, | |
| Punish the faulter, and the innocent saue. |
1708. J. Chamberlayne, The Present State of Great-Britain, I. II. ix. (1743), 81. To the Lord High Admiral belongs by Law and Custom … the Goods of Pirates, Felons, or Capital Faulters.
a. 1796. Burns, Here’s his Health in Water, 2.
| An’ tho’ he be the fautor … | |
| Yet here’s his health in water! |
1840. P. Buchan, Down the Water, in Whistle-Binkie (1890), I. 253.
| Or if we do, by sooth and troth—I’se no be sic a fauter, | |
| As move like Patriarchs of old—in families down the water. |
