foul

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Covered with, or containing unclean matter

   Covered with, or containing unclean matter; dirty.

   • This cloth is too foul to use as a duster.
   • His foul hands got dirt all over the kitchen.
   • The air was so foul nobody could breathe.
2. 2

   Obscene, vulgar or abusive.

   • The rascal spewed forth a series of foul words.
   • His foul language causes many people to believe he is uneducated.
3. 3

   Detestable, unpleasant, loathsome.

   • He has a foul set of friends.
   • […]Hast thou forgot / The foul witch Sycorax, who with age and envy / Was grown into a hoop? Hast thou forgot her?
   • Who first seduced them to that foul revolt?
4. ›+ 21 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      Disgusting, repulsive

      Disgusting, repulsive; causing disgust.

      • This foul food is making me retch.
      • There was a foul smell coming from the toilet.
   2. 5

      Ugly

      Ugly; homely; poor.

      • Let us, like merchants, show our foulest wares.
   3. 6

      Unpleasant, stormy or rainy. (of the weather)

      • Some foul weather is brewing.
      • So foul a sky clears not without a storm.
   4. 7

      Dishonest or not conforming to the established rules and customs of a game, conflict,…

      Dishonest or not conforming to the established rules and customs of a game, conflict, test, etc.

      • Foul play is not suspected.
   5. 8

      Entangled and therefore restricting free movement, not clear.

      • We've got a foul anchor.
      • A rope could get foul while it is being paid out.
   6. 9

      (with "of") Positioned on, in, or near enough to (a specified area) so as to obstruct it.

      • The bus had stopped just foul of the north track at the Erindale Station Road public railway crossing […] With the bus stationary, but still foul of the north track, the train struck one of its front mirrors.
   7. 10

      Outside of the base lines

      Outside of the base lines; in foul territory.

      • Jones hit foul ball after foul ball.
   8. 11

      To make dirty.

      • to foul the face or hands with mire
      • She's fouled her diaper.
   9. 12

      To besmirch.

      • He's fouled his reputation.
   10. 13

       To obstruct, block, or otherwise interfere with (something), for example by clogging (a…

       To obstruct, block, or otherwise interfere with (something), for example by clogging (a drain, gun barrel, chimney, etc) or by being in the way of (a gunshot, etc).

       • The hair has fouled the drain.
       • The recent opening of the bridge at the south end of Lincoln Station has enabled trains to take water there without fouling the level crossings at both ends of the platforms.
   11. 14

       To entangle.

       • The kelp has fouled the prop.
       • The Indian's heart was sore for his boat; it looked as if nothing could save her. She was drifting more slowly now, her propeller fouled in kelp.
   12. 15

       To make make a play, such as a strong contact with an opposing player in order to gain…

       To make make a play, such as a strong contact with an opposing player in order to gain advantage, that is deemed by the referee to have contravened the rules.

       • Smith fouled him hard.
       • The Gunners dominated for long periods but, against the run of play, Denilson fouled Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass put Leeds ahead from the spot.
   13. 16

       To commit a foul.

       • Smith fouled within the first minute of the quarter.
       • State begins fouling and UCLA misses a couple of front-end free throws on one-and-ones.
   14. 17

       To hit outside of the baselines.

       • Jones fouled the ball off the facing of the upper deck.
   15. 18

       To hit a ball outside of the baselines.

       • Jones fouled for strike one.
   16. 19

       To become clogged.

       • The drain fouled.
   17. 20

       To become entangled.

       • The prop fouled on the kelp.
   18. 21

       To come into contact or collide with.

       • The full capacity, however, requires a hopper of a size that takes the wagon body up to 11ft 11½in above rail level, which would foul many existing colliery screens.
   19. 22

       A breach of the rules of a game, especially one involving inappropriate contact with an…

       A breach of the rules of a game, especially one involving inappropriate contact with an opposing player in order to gain an advantage; for example, tripping someone up in soccer, or contact of any kind in basketball.

   20. 23

       A (usually accidental) contact between a bowler and the lane before the bowler has…

       A (usually accidental) contact between a bowler and the lane before the bowler has released the ball.

   21. 24

       A foul ball, a ball which has been hit outside of the base lines.

       • Jones hit a foul up over the screen.

The neighborhood

• neighborfoul fish