51Թ

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View synonyms for

foul

[foul]

adjective

fouler, foulest 
  1. grossly offensive to the senses; disgustingly loathsome; noisome.

    a foul smell.

    Synonyms: ,
    Antonyms:
  2. containing or characterized by offensive or noisome matter.

    foul air; foul stagnant water.

    Synonyms: , ,
  3. filthy or dirty, as places, receptacles, clothes, etc.

    Synonyms: , ,
    Antonyms:
  4. muddy, as a road.

  5. clogged or obstructed with foreign matter.

    a foul gas jet.

    Antonyms:
  6. unfavorable or stormy.

    foul weather.

    Synonyms: ,
    Antonyms:
  7. contrary, violent, or unfavorable, as the wind.

    Synonyms:
  8. grossly offensive in a moral sense.

  9. abominable, wicked, or vile, as deeds, crime, slander, etc.

    Synonyms: , ,
  10. scurrilous, profane, or obscene; offensive.

    foul language.

    Synonyms: , , ,
  11. contrary to the rules or established usages, as of a sport or game; unfair.

    a foul blow.

  12. Baseball.pertaining to a foul ball or a foul line.

  13. limited in freedom of movement by obstruction, entanglement, etc..

    a foul anchor.

  14. abounding in errors or in marks of correction, as a printer's proof, manuscript, or the like.

  15. Nautical.

    1. (of the underwater portion of a hull) encrusted and impeded with barnacles, seaweed, etc.

    2. (of a mooring place) involving inconveniences and dangers, as of colliding with vessels or other objects when swinging with the tide.

    3. (of the bottom of a body of water) affording a poor hold for an anchor (clean ).

  16. North England and Scot..not fair; ugly or unattractive.

  17. Obsolete.disfigured.



adverb

  1. in a foul manner; vilely; unfairly.

  2. Baseball.into foul territory; so as to be foul.

    It looked like a homer when he hit it, but it went foul.

noun

  1. something that is foul.

  2. a collision or entanglement.

    a foul between two racing sculls.

  3. a violation of the rules of a sport or game.

    The referee called it a foul.

  4. Baseball.foul ball.

verb (used with object)

  1. to make foul; defile; soil.

    Synonyms: , , , , ,
    Antonyms:
  2. to clog or obstruct, as a chimney or the bore of a gun.

  3. to collide with.

  4. to cause to become entangled or caught, as a rope.

  5. to defile; dishonor; disgrace.

    His reputation had been fouled by unfounded accusations.

    Synonyms:
  6. Nautical.(of barnacles, seaweed, etc.) to cling to (a hull) so as to encumber.

  7. Baseball.to hit (a pitched ball) foul (often followed by off oraway ).

    He fouled off two curves before being struck out on a fastball.

verb (used without object)

  1. to become foul.

  2. Nautical.to come into collision, as two boats.

  3. to become entangled or clogged.

    The rope fouled.

  4. Sports.to make a foul play; give a foul blow.

  5. Baseball.to hit a foul ball.

verb phrase

  1. Informalto cause confusion or disorder; bungle; spoil.

    1. Baseballto be put out by hitting a foul ball caught on the fly by a player on the opposing team.

    2. Basketballto be expelled from a game for having committed more fouls than is allowed.

foul

/ ڲʊ /

adjective

  1. offensive to the senses; revolting

  2. offensive in odour; stinking

  3. charged with or full of dirt or offensive matter; filthy

  4. (of food) putrid; rotten

  5. morally or spiritually offensive; wicked; vile

  6. obscene; vulgar

    foul language

  7. not in accordance with accepted standards or established rules; unfair

    to resort to foul means

  8. (esp of weather) unpleasant or adverse

  9. blocked or obstructed with dirt or foreign matter

    a foul drain

  10. entangled or impeded

    a foul anchor

  11. (of the bottom of a vessel) covered with barnacles and other growth that slow forward motion

  12. informalunsatisfactory or uninteresting; bad

    a foul book

  13. archaicugly

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. sport

    1. a violation of the rules

    2. ( as modifier )

      a foul shot

      a foul blow

  2. something foul

  3. an entanglement or collision, esp in sailing or fishing

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to make or become dirty or polluted

  2. to become or cause to become entangled or snarled

  3. (tr) to disgrace or dishonour

  4. to become or cause to become clogged or choked

  5. (tr) nautical (of underwater growth) to cling to (the bottom of a vessel) so as to slow its motion

  6. (tr) sport to commit a foul against (an opponent)

  7. (tr) baseball to hit (a ball) in an illegal manner

  8. (intr) sport to infringe the rules

  9. (tr) (of an animal, especially a dog) to defecate on

    do not let your dog foul the footpath

  10. to collide with (a boat, etc)

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. in a foul or unfair manner

    1. to come into conflict with

    2. nautical to come into collision with

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • foully adverb
  • overfoul adjective
  • overfoully adverb
  • overfoulness noun
  • unfoul adjective
  • unfoully adverb
  • unfouled adjective
  • ˈڴdzܱ adverb
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of foul1

before 900; (adj. and noun) Middle English ful, foul, Old English ū; cognate with Gothic fuls, Old Norse ū, Old High German ū; akin to Latin ū pus, ūŧ to stink, Greek ýDz pus; (adv.) Middle English fule, foule, derivative of the adj.; (v.) Middle English fulen, derivative of the adj.
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of foul1

Old English ū ; related to Old Norse ūl , Gothic ūs smelling offensively, Latin ū pus , Greek puol pus
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. run foul / afoul of, to come into collision or controversy with.

    to run foul of the press.

  2. foul one's nest, to dishonor one's own home, family, or the like.

  3. fall foul / afoul of,

    1. to collide with, as ships.

    2. to come into conflict with; quarrel.

    3. to make an attack; assault.

In addition to the idioms beginning with foul, also see run afoul of.
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Synonym Study

See dirty.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Since the crash, a foul, acrid smell has hung over the area as smoke billowed from the wreckage late into the night.

From

Brentford fouled far less than Spurs across the past two seasons - indeed, only Manchester City committed fewer fouls than Brentford last season.

From

Munich police are investigating but said there was "no evidence to suggest foul play".

From

“It’s not going to be amazing or anything, but I think at times it’s getting a little bit of life on it, making making guys foul some pitches get jammed a little bit.”

From

The following day, “60 Minutes” aired the most forceful part of her answer, prompting conservatives to cry foul.

From

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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