foul

¹foul

adjective \ˈfau̇(-ə)l\

Definition of FOUL

1

a : offensive to the senses : loathsome

b : filled or covered with offensive matter

2

: full of dirt or mud

3

a : morally or spiritually odious : detestable <a foul crime>

b : notably unpleasant or distressing : wretched, horrid <in a foul mood>

4

: obscene, abusive <foul language>

5

a : being wet and stormy

b : obstructive to navigation <a foul tide>

6

dialect British : homely, ugly

7

a : treacherous, dishonorable <fair means or foul>

b : constituting an infringement of rules in a game or sport <a foul blow in boxing>

8

: containing marked-up corrections <a foul manuscript> <foul proofs>

9

: encrusted, clogged, or choked with a foreign substance <the chimney was foul and smoked badly>

10

: being odorous and impure : polluted <foul air>

11

: placed in a situation that impedes physical movement : entangled

12

: being outside the foul lines in baseball

— foul·ly \ˈfau̇(l)-lē\ adverb

— foul·ness noun

Examples of FOUL

1. the foul odor of rotten eggs
2. The medicine left a foul taste in my mouth.
3. The weather has been foul all week.

Origin of FOUL

Middle English, from Old English fūl; akin to Old High German fūl rotten, Latin pus pus, putēre to stink, Greek pyon pus

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to FOUL

Synonyms

bleak, dirty, inclement, nasty, raw, rough, squally, stormy, tempestuous, turbulent

Antonyms

bright, clear, clement, cloudless, fair, sunny, sunshiny, unclouded

Related Words

blowy, blustering, blustery, breezy, gusty, windblown, windswept; cloudy, overcast, sunless; rainy, snowy; foggy, hazy, misty, murky, soupy

Near Antonyms

rainless; balmy, calm, halcyon, peaceful, placid, pleasant, serene

See Synonym Discussion at dirty

²foul

noun

Definition of FOUL

1

archaic : something foul

2

: an entanglement or collision especially in angling or sailing

3

a : an infringement of the rules in a game or sport

b : free throw

4

: foul ball

Examples of FOUL

1. He hit several fouls in a row.

First Known Use of FOUL

before 12th century

Other Field and Goal Sports Terms

crease, lateral, lax, overthrow, playbook, post, screen, scrum, secondary, ultimate

Rhymes with FOUL

cowl, dowel, fowl, growl, howl, jowl, prowl, rowel, scowl, towel, trowel, yowl

³foul

verb

Definition of FOUL

intransitive verb

1

: to become or be foul: as

a : decompose, rot

b : to become encrusted, clogged, or choked with a foreign substance

c : to become entangled or come into collision

2

: to commit a violation of the rules in a sport or game

3

: to hit a foul ball

transitive verb

1

: to make foul: as

a : to make dirty : pollute

b : to tangle or come into collision with

c : to encrust with a foreign substance <a ship's bottom fouled with barnacles>

d : obstruct, block

2

: dishonor, discredit

3

: to commit a foul against

4

: to hit (a baseball) foul

Examples of FOUL

1. pollutants that foul the air
2. She fouled on her first long jump attempt.
3. He was fouled as he attempted the shot.
4. He kept fouling pitches into the stands.

First Known Use of FOUL

before 12th century

Related to FOUL

Synonyms

befoul, begrime, bemire, besmirch, blacken, daub, distain [archaic], dirty, gaum [dialect], grime, mire, muck, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, stain, sully

Antonyms

clean, cleanse

Related Words

contaminate, defile, pollute, taint; discolor; confuse, disarrange, disarray, dishevel, disorder, draggle, jumble, mess, muddle; colly [chiefly British dialect], crock [dialect]

Near Antonyms

decontaminate, purge, purify; disinfect, sanitize; brush, dry-clean, dust, launder, mop, rinse, scour, scrub, sweep, wash, wipe; brighten, deodorize, freshen, renew, spruce (up); straighten (up), tidy (up)

⁴foul

adverb

Definition of FOUL

: in a foul manner : so as to be foul

First Known Use of FOUL

13th century