foul
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Related to foul: foul ball
foul
unfair; unclean; rotten; grossly offensive to the senses; disgustingly loathsome: a foul smell; unfavorable: foul weather
Not to be confused with:
fowl – a bird used for food or hunted as game; chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
foul
(foul)adj. foul·er, foul·est
1.
a. Offensive to the senses; revolting: "a foul little creature with greedy eyes and slobbering mouth" (J.R.R. Tolkien).
b. Having a bad odor or taste: foul breath; food that tasted foul.
c. Rotten or putrid: foul meat.
2.
a. Containing dirt, impurities, or other foreign matter; foul water.
b. Clogged or bestrewn with unwanted material: The bay is foul with old sunken vessels.
c. Overgrown or encrusted with weeds, barnacles, or other organisms. Used of a ship's bottom.
d. Entangled or enwrapped: a foul anchor.
3.
a. Morally detestable; wicked: foul deeds.
b. Vulgar or obscene: foul language.
c. Violating accepted standards or rules; dishonorable: used foul means to gain power.
4.
a. Very disagreeable or displeasing; horrid: a foul movie.
b. Inclement or unfavorable: in fair weather or foul.
c. Irritable or upset: in a foul mood.
5.
a. Sports Contrary to the rules of a game or sport: a foul boxing punch.
b. Baseball Outside the foul lines: a foul fly ball.
6. Marked with editorial changes or corrections: foul copy.
7. Archaic Ugly; unattractive.
n.
1. Abbr. F
a. Sports An infraction or a violation of the rules of play.
b. Baseball A foul ball.
2. An entanglement or a collision.
3. An instance of clogging or obstructing.
4. A foul copy of a document.
adv.
In a foul manner.
v. fouled, foul·ing, fouls
v.tr.
1. To make dirty or foul; pollute. See Synonyms at contaminate.
2. To bring into dishonor; besmirch.
3. To clog or obstruct.
4. To entangle or catch (a rope, for example).
5. To encrust (a ship's hull) with foreign matter, such as barnacles.
6.
a. Sports To commit a foul against.
b. Baseball To hit (a ball) outside the foul lines.
v.intr.
Phrasal Verbs: 1. To become foul.
2.
a. Sports To commit a foul.
b. Baseball To hit a ball outside the foul lines: fouled twice and then struck out; fouled out to the catcher.
3. To become entangled or twisted: The anchor line fouled on a rock.
4. To become clogged or obstructed.
foul out
Sports To be put out of a game for exceeding the number of permissible fouls.
foul up
To blunder or cause to blunder because of mistakes or poor judgment.
foul′ly adv.
foul′ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
foul
(faʊl)adj
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. (Nautical Terms) entangled or impeded: a foul anchor.
11. (Nautical Terms) (of the bottom of a vessel) covered with barnacles and other growth that slow forward motion
12. informal unsatisfactory or uninteresting; bad: a foul book.
13. archaic ugly
n
14. (Team Sports, other than specified) sport
a. a violation of the rules
b. (as modifier): a foul shot; a foul blow.
15. (Baseball) something foul
16. an entanglement or collision, esp in sailing or fishing
vb
17. to make or become dirty or polluted
18. (Nautical Terms) to become or cause to become entangled or snarled
19. (tr) to disgrace or dishonour
20. to become or cause to become clogged or choked
21. (Nautical Terms) (tr) nautical (of underwater growth) to cling to (the bottom of a vessel) so as to slow its motion
22. (Team Sports, other than specified) (tr) sport to commit a foul against (an opponent)
23. (Baseball) (tr) baseball to hit (a ball) in an illegal manner
24. (Team Sports, other than specified) (intr) sport to infringe the rules
25. (tr) (of an animal, esp a dog) to defecate on: do not let your dog foul the footpath.
26. (Nautical Terms) to collide with (a boat, etc)
adv
27. in a foul or unfair manner
28. to come into conflict with
29. (Nautical Terms) nautical to come into collision with
[Old English fūl; related to Old Norse fūll, Gothic fūls smelling offensively, Latin pūs pus, Greek puol pus]
ˈfoully adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
foul
(faʊl)adj. foul•er, foul•est,
adj.
1. grossly offensive to the senses: a foul smell.
2. polluted: foul air.
3. muddy; dirty.
4. clogged with foreign matter: a foul gas jet.
5. inclement: foul weather.
6. impeding navigation, as the wind.
7. morally offensive: a foul deed.
8. profane; obscene: foul language.
9. contrary to the rules or practices, as in a sport.
10. pertaining to a foul ball or a foul line in baseball.
11. obstructed; entangled: a foul anchor.
12. marked with corrections and changes: foul manuscripts.
adv. 13. in a foul manner.
14. into foul territory: The ball went foul.
n. 15. a collision; entanglement: a foul between racing sculls.
16. a violation of the rules of a sport or game.
17. foul ball.
v.t. 18. to defile; soil.
19. to clog; obstruct.
20. to collide with.
21. to cause to become entangled or caught, as a rope.
22. to dishonor: Scandal fouled his good name.
23. to hit (a pitched ball) foul.
v.i. 24. to come into collision.
25. to become entangled or clogged.
26. to commit a foul in a sport or game.
27. to hit a foul ball.
28. foul out,
a. (of a baseball batter) to make an out by hitting a foul ball that is caught.
b. to be expelled from a basketball game for having committed more fouls than are allowed.
29. foul up, to bungle things.
[before 900; Middle English ful, foul, Old English fūl]
foul′ly, adv.
foul′ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
foul
Past participle: fouled
Gerund: fouling
| Imperative |
|---|
| foul |
| foul |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  foul - an act that violates the rules of a sportfoul ball - (baseball) a ball struck with the bat so that it does not stay between the lines (the foul lines) that define the width of the playing field infringement, violation - an act that disregards an agreement or a right; "he claimed a violation of his rights under the Fifth Amendment" personal foul - a foul that involves unnecessarily rough contact (as in basketball or football) technical foul, technical - (basketball) a foul that can be assessed on a player or a coach or a team for unsportsmanlike conduct; does not usually involve physical contact during play |
| Verb | 1. | foul - hit a foul ball baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; "there was a baseball game on every empty lot"; "there was a desire for National League ball in the area"; "play ball!" foul out - baseball: hit a ball such that it is caught from an out in foul territory hit - cause to move by striking; "hit a ball" |
| 2. | foul - make impure; "The industrial wastes polluted the lake" | |
| 3. |  foul - become or cause to become obstructed; "The leaves clog our drains in the Fall"; "The water pipe is backed up"gum up - stick together as if with gum; "the inside of the pipe has gummed up" obturate, occlude, close up, impede, obstruct, jam, block - block passage through; "obstruct the path" crap up - become obstructed or chocked up; "The drains clogged up" | |
| 4. | foul - commit a foul; break the rules play - participate in games or sport; "We played hockey all afternoon"; "play cards"; "Pele played for the Brazilian teams in many important matches" hack - kick on the shins hack - kick on the arms | |
| 5. |  foul - spot, stain, or pollute; "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it" | |
| 6. | foul - make unclean; "foul the water" | |
| 7. | foul - become soiled and dirty change - undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night" | |
| Adj. | 1. |  foul - highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust; "a disgusting smell"; "distasteful language"; "a loathsome disease"; "the idea of eating meat is repellent to me"; "revolting food"; "a wicked stench"loathly, repelling, revolting, skanky, disgustful, disgusting, yucky, distasteful, loathsome, repellant, repellent, wicked offensive - unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses; "offensive odors" |
| 2. | foul - offensively malodorous; "a foul odor"; "the kitchen smelled really funky" | |
| 3. |  foul - violating accepted standards or rules; "a dirty fighter"; "used foul means to gain power"; "a nasty unsporting serve"; "fined for unsportsmanlike behavior" | |
| 4. | foul - (of a baseball) not hit between the foul lines baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school"; "there was a baseball game on every empty lot"; "there was a desire for National League ball in the area"; "play ball!" fair - (of a baseball) hit between the foul lines; "he hit a fair ball over the third base bag" | |
| 5. |  foul - (of a manuscript) defaced with changes; "foul (or dirty) copy"illegible - (of handwriting, print, etc.) not legible; "illegible handwriting" | |
| 6. | foul - characterized by obscenity; "had a filthy mouth"; "foul language"; "smutty jokes" dirty - (of behavior or especially language) characterized by obscenity or indecency; "dirty words"; "a dirty old man"; "dirty books and movies"; "boys telling dirty jokes"; "has a dirty mouth" | |
| 7. | foul - disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter; "as filthy as a pigsty"; "a foul pond"; "a nasty pigsty of a room" dirty, soiled, unclean - soiled or likely to soil with dirt or grime; "dirty unswept sidewalks"; "a child in dirty overalls"; "dirty slums"; "piles of dirty dishes"; "put his dirty feet on the clean sheet"; "wore an unclean shirt"; "mining is a dirty job"; "Cinderella did the dirty work while her sisters preened themselves" | |
| 8. |  foul - especially of a ship's lines etc; "with its sails afoul"; "a foul anchor"tangled - in a confused mass; "pushed back her tangled hair"; "the tangled ropes" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
foul
adjective
1. dirty, rank, offensive, nasty, disgusting, unpleasant, revolting, contaminated, rotten, polluted, stinking, filthy, tainted, grubby, repellent, squalid, repulsive, sullied, grimy, nauseating, loathsome, unclean, impure, grotty (slang), fetid, grungy (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), putrid, malodorous, noisome, scuzzy (slang, chiefly U.S.), skanky (slang), mephitic, olid, yucky or yukky (slang) foul, polluted water
dirty clear, clean, pure
dirty clear, clean, pure
2. obscene, crude, indecent, foul-mouthed, low, blue, dirty, gross, abusive, coarse, filthy, vulgar, lewd, profane, blasphemous, scurrilous, smutty, scatological He was sent off for using foul language.
4. stormy, bad, wild, rough, wet, unpleasant, rainy, murky, windy, foggy, disagreeable, blustery The weather was foul, with heavy hail and snow.
5. unfair, illegal, dirty, crooked, shady (informal), fraudulent, unjust, dishonest, unscrupulous, underhand, inequitable, unsportsmanlike a foul tackle
6. offensive, bad, base, wrong, evil, notorious, corrupt, vicious, infamous, disgraceful, shameful, vile, immoral, scandalous, wicked, sinful, despicable, heinous, hateful, abhorrent, egregious, abominable, shitty (taboo slang), dishonourable, nefarious, iniquitous, detestable He is accused of all manner of foul deeds.
offensive attractive, decent, pleasant, respectable, admirable
offensive attractive, decent, pleasant, respectable, admirable
verb
foul something up bungle, spoil, botch, mess up, cock up (Brit. slang), fuck up (offensive taboo slang), make a mess of, mismanage, make a nonsense of, muck up (slang), bodge (informal), make a pig's ear of (informal), put a spanner in the works (Brit. informal), flub (U.S. slang) There are risks that laboratories may foul up these tests.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
foul
adjective1. Extremely unpleasant to the senses or feelings:
2. Having an unpleasant odor:
Informal: smelly.
4. Offensive to accepted standards of decency:
barnyard, bawdy, broad, coarse, dirty, Fescennine, filthy, gross, lewd, nasty, obscene, profane, ribald, scatologic, scatological, scurrilous, smutty, vulgar.
Slang: raunchy.
5. So objectionable as to elicit despisal or deserve condemnation:
abhorrent, abominable, antipathetic, contemptible, despicable, despisable, detestable, disgusting, filthy, infamous, loathsome, lousy, low, mean, nasty, nefarious, obnoxious, odious, repugnant, rotten, shabby, vile, wretched.
1. To make physically impure:
foul up
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
غير مُريح، سيِّء، معاكِسفاسِد، كريهمُخَالَفَةمُخالفَه لِقوانين اللعبوَسِخ
faulfaulovathnusnýodpornýohavný
forseelsemodbydeligsvine tilækelbryde reglerne
epäpuhdashäijyinhottavaliatalikainen
prekršajzagađen
rossz szagúszabálytalanságot követ elszemélyi hiba
andstyggilegurbrjóta ábrotfúll, viîbjóîsleguróhreinka
いやなファウル
더러운반칙
nešvarus reikalasprasižengtipražangateršti
nekrietnsnotraipītpārkāpt spēles noteikumuspiegružotpiesārņot
faulfaulovať
gnusenprekršekslab
foulillaluktande
เหม็นเน่าการทำผิดกติกา
dơsự chơi xấu
foul
[faʊl]A. ADJ (fouler (compar) (foulest (superl)))
1. (= disgusting) [place] → asqueroso; [smell] → pestilente, fétido; [taste] → repugnante, asqueroso
3. (= nasty) [weather] → de perros, malísimo
it's a foul day → hace un día de perros, hace un día malísimo
I've had a foul day → he tenido un día malísimo, he tenido un día de perros
he was in a foul mood → estaba de un humor de perros
you were foul to me yesterday → ayer te portaste fatal conmigo
she has a foul temper → tiene muy malas pulgas, tiene un genio de mil demonios
it's a foul day → hace un día de perros, hace un día malísimo
I've had a foul day → he tenido un día malísimo, he tenido un día de perros
he was in a foul mood → estaba de un humor de perros
you were foul to me yesterday → ayer te portaste fatal conmigo
she has a foul temper → tiene muy malas pulgas, tiene un genio de mil demonios
B. N (Sport) → falta f (on contra)
C. VT
1. (= pollute) [+ air] → viciar, contaminar; [+ water] → contaminar; (= dirty) → ensuciar
the dog fouled the pavement → el perro ensució la acera
the dog fouled the pavement → el perro ensució la acera
2. (Sport) [+ opponent] → cometer una falta contra
3. (= entangle) [+ fishing line, net, rope] → enredar
something had fouled the propellers → algo se había enredado en las hélices
the boat had fouled her anchor → el ancla del barco se había atascado
something had fouled the propellers → algo se había enredado en las hélices
the boat had fouled her anchor → el ancla del barco se había atascado
5. (Naut) (= hit) → chocar contra
E. CPD foul play N (Sport) → jugada f antirreglamentaria, juego m sucio
the police suspect foul play (Jur) → la policía sospecha que se trata de un crimen
the police suspect foul play (Jur) → la policía sospecha que se trata de un crimen
foul up
A. VT + ADV
1. (= spoil) [+ activity, event, plans] → dar al traste con, echar a perder
it's the little things that can foul up your plans → los detalles son los que pueden dar al traste con or echar a perder los planes de uno
it's the little things that can foul up your plans → los detalles son los que pueden dar al traste con or echar a perder los planes de uno
B. VI + ADV → meter la pata
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
foul
[ˈfaʊl] adj
[weather, smell, taste, food] → infect(e)
The weather was foul → Le temps était infect.
What a foul smell! → Quelle odeur infecte!
The weather was foul → Le temps était infect.
What a foul smell! → Quelle odeur infecte!
[mood] → massacrant(e); [temper] → sale
[day] → sale
foul luck → malchance f
[language] → ordurier/ière
[deed] → infâme
(= unfair) by fair means or foul → par n'importe quel moyen
n
(by player) → faute f
Ferguson committed a foul → Ferguson a fait une faute.
a foul on sb → une faute sur qn
to cry foul → crier à l'injustice
Ferguson committed a foul → Ferguson a fait une faute.
a foul on sb → une faute sur qn
to cry foul → crier à l'injustice
vt
[+ football player] → commettre une faute sur
(= pollute) → polluer
(= dirty) → souiller
[dog] [+ pavement] → souiller
adv
to fall foul of sb (mainly British) → se mettre qn à dos
to fall foul of sb (mainly British) → se mettre qn à dos
foul up
vt [+ traffic, roads] → bloquerfoul-mouthed [ˌfaʊlˈmaʊðd] adj → grossier/ièrefoul play n (SPORT) → jeu m irrégulier
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
foul
adj
(= disgusting) place, food, taste, breath → ekelhaft, widerlich; water → faulig; air → stickig; smell → übel, ekelhaft
(= dreadful) behaviour, crime → abscheulich; temper → übel; day → scheußlich (inf); he was really foul to her → er war wirklich gemein or fies (inf) → zu ihr; what a foul thing (for you) to say about my sister → wie kannst du nur so etwas Gemeines über meine Schwester sagen; she has a foul temper → sie ist ein ganz übellauniger Mensch; to be in a foul mood or temper → eine ganz miese Laune haben (inf); foul weather → scheußliches Wetter; (Naut) → Sturm m; foul luck → großes Pech; foul deed (liter, hum) → Schandtat f
(= offensive) → anstößig; foul language → Schimpfwörter pl; to have a foul mouth → ein dreckiges Maul haben (inf)
(= dishonest, unfair) → unredlich; (Sport: = against the rules) shot → regelwidrig; tackle → unerlaubt; (= not valid) → ungültig; foul ball (Baseball) → ungültiger Schlag; to cry foul → sich über unfaire Behandlung beschweren ? fair ADJ a
to fall or run foul of the law/authorities → mit dem Gesetz/den Behörden in Konflikt geraten; to fall or run foul of somebody → es sich (dat) → mit jdm verderben; to fall foul of a ship (Naut) → mit einem Schiff kollidieren or zusammenstoßen
vt
(= become entangled in) mechanism, device, propeller → sich verfangen in (+dat); net, fishing line → verheddern; (= clog) pipe → verstopfen; chimney, gun barrel → blockieren
(Sport) → foulen
(Naut, = collide with) ship → rammen
vi
(Sport) → foulen, regelwidrig spielen
n (Sport) → Foul nt, → Regelverstoß m; technical/personal foul (Basketball) → technisches/persönliches Foul
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
foul
[faʊl]1. adj (putrid, disgusting, smell, breath, taste) → disgustoso/a, rivoltante; (water, air) → puzzolente, fetido/a; (nasty, weather) → brutto/a, orribile; (mood) → nero/a; (obscene, language) → volgare, osceno/a; (deed) → infame
to use foul language → parlare sboccatamente
to fall foul of sb/the law → entrare in contrasto con qn/con la giustizia
to use foul language → parlare sboccatamente
to fall foul of sb/the law → entrare in contrasto con qn/con la giustizia
2. n (Football) → fallo (Boxing) → colpo basso
3. vt
b. (Sport) (opponenet) → commettere un fallo su
c. (entangle, anchor, propeller) → impigliare
foul up vt + adv (fam) (plan, project) → rovinare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
foul
(faul) adjective1. (especially of smell or taste) causing disgust. a foul smell.
2. very unpleasant; nasty. a foul mess.
noun an action etc which breaks the rules of a game. The other team committed a foul.
verb1. to break the rules of a game (against). He fouled his opponent.
2. to make dirty, especially with faeces. Dogs often foul the pavement.
foul play a criminal act, especially involving murder. A man has been found dead and the police suspect foul play.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
foul
→ مُخَالَفَة, وَسِخ faul, ohavný ækel, forseelse Foul, scheußlich ακάθαρτος, φάουλ falta, fétido, repugnante inhottava, virhe faute, infect prekršaj, zagađen disgustoso, fallo いやな, ファウル 더러운, 반칙 overtreding, smerig overtredelse, skitten sfaulowanie, śmierdzący falta, imundo, infração, sujo загрязненный, нарушение правил foul, illaluktande เหม็นเน่า, การทำผิดกติกา faul, kirli dơ, sự chơi xấu 污秽的, 犯规Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009