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foul
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As an adjective, foul means covered with, or containing unclean matter. As a verb, it means make dirty.
Meanings of foul
35 meaningsadjective
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.”
of wordsa way of speakingObscene, vulgar or abusive.
“The rascal spewed forth a series of foul words.”
“His foul language causes many people to believe he is uneducated.”
Detestable, unpleasant, loathsome.
“He has a foul set of friends.”
Disgusting, repulsive; causing disgust.
“This foul food is making me retch.”
“There was a foul smell coming from the toilet.”
of the weatherUnpleasant, stormy or rainy.
“Some foul weather is brewing.”
Dishonest or not conforming to the established rules and customs of a game, conflict, test, etc.
“Foul play is not suspected.”
nauticalEntangled and therefore restricting free movement, not clear.
“We've got a foul anchor.”
“A rope could get foul while it is being paid out.”
technical(with "of") Positioned on, in, or near enough to (a specified area) so as to obstruct it.
baseballOutside of the base lines; in foul territory.
“Jones hit foul ball after foul ball.”
Highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
“a disgusting smell”
“distasteful language”
“a loathsome disease”
Similar: disgusting, disgustful, distasteful, loathly, loathsome, repellentViolating accepted standards or rules
“a dirty fighter”
“used foul means to gain power”
“a nasty unsporting serve”
Similar: cheating, dirty, unsporting, unsportsmanlike
Older and rare meanings (1)
obsoleteUgly; homely; poor.
verb
To make dirty.
“to foul the face or hands with mire”
“She's fouled her diaper.”
To besmirch.
“He's fouled his reputation.”
To clog or obstruct.
“The hair has fouled the drain.”
nauticalTo entangle.
“The kelp has fouled the prop.”
basketballTo make contact with an opposing player in order to gain advantage.
“Smith fouled him hard.”
basketballTo commit a foul.
“Smith fouled within the first minute of the quarter.”
baseballTo hit outside of the baselines.
“Jones fouled the ball off the facing of the upper deck.”
baseballTo hit a ball outside of the baselines.
“Jones fouled for strike one.”
To become clogged.
“The drain fouled.”
To become entangled.
“The prop fouled on the kelp.”
To come into contact or collide with.
Become soiled and dirty
noun
sportsA 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.
bowlingA (usually accidental) contact between a bowler and the lane before the bowler has released the ball.
baseballA foul ball, a ball which has been hit outside of the base lines.
“Jones hit a foul up over the screen.”
An act that violates the rules of a sport
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).