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foul

foul

 
 
pronunciation:
faUl
parts of speech:
adjective, adverb, noun, transitive verb, intransitive verb
phrases:
fall foul of, foul out, foul up, run foul of
features:
Word Combinations (adjective, noun, verb), Homophone Note, Word Explorer
part of speech: adjective
inflections: fouler, foulest
definition 1: extremely offensive to the senses, esp. of smell and taste, or permeated by something, such as an odor, that is offensive to the senses.
A foul smell came from the latrines.The test tube emitted a foul vapor.
 
synonyms:
fetid, malodorous, mephitic, noisome, offensive, putrescent, putrid, rancid, rank, rotten, smelly, stinking, stinky
antonyms:
balmy, delightful, fragrant, pleasant
similar words:
corrupt, decayed, decomposed, disgusting, loathsome, mawkish, moldy, musty, nasty, nauseous, obnoxious, repulsive, spoiled
definition 2: extremely dirty or muddy.
The floors in the makeshift hospital were foul.Don't throw those foul rags on top of the clean ones.
synonyms:
defiled, dirty, filthy, miry, muddy, sordid
antonyms:
pristine
similar words:
bedraggled, grubby, impure, polluted, squalid
definition 3: rotten, as food.
They found only some foul meat in the refrigerator.
synonyms:
decayed, decomposed, rotten, spoiled
antonyms:
fresh, good
similar words:
rancid
definition 4: disagreeable or unfavorable, as weather.
The weather was so foul that the boat had to return to port.
synonyms:
disagreeable, dreadful, inclement, rotten, stormy, terrible, unpleasant
antonyms:
fair, pleasant
similar words:
dirty, ill, loathsome, rainy, unfavorable, wet
definition 5: extremely offensive to moral standards or accepted rules; vile or unfair.
They feared he had been a victim of foul play.He'll be punished for these foul acts.
synonyms:
crooked, dirty, immoral, obscene, unfair
antonyms:
just, righteous
similar words:
abominable, coarse, contemptible, corrupt, deceitful, dishonest, dishonorable, fraudulent, heinous, ignoble, indecent, iniquitous, knavish, lewd, nasty, profane, repulsive, rotten, shady, smutty, squalid, ugly, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, venal, vulgar
definition 6: in sports, pertaining to the area beyond that designated for fair play, or making contact with that area.
The ball rolled past the foul line.He hit a foul ball.
antonyms:
fair
similar words:
out-of-bounds
definition 7: entangled or obstructed.
a foul fuel linea foul anchor chain
synonyms:
choked, entangled, obstructed, snagged, snarled, tangled
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: adverb
definition: in an extremely offensive or disagreeable manner.
She played foul in revealing her friend's secrets.
synonyms:
below the belt
phrase: fall foul of, run foul of
 
part of speech: noun
definition 1: an infraction of the rules of a game or sport.
Grabbing another player's jersey is a foul.
synonyms:
infraction
similar words:
breach, infringement, transgression, violation
definition 2: in baseball, a ball hit to outside the lines drawn from the rear of the homeplate to the first and third bases; foul ball.
The catcher caught the foul, and the batter was out.
synonyms:
foul ball
definition 3: a collision or entanglement, as of ships.
synonyms:
collision, crash
similar words:
smash-up
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: fouls, fouling, fouled
definition 1: to make dirty or deposit filth in or on.
Their male cat continues to foul their carpet.
synonyms:
befoul, besmirch, contaminate, defile, dirty, pollute, soil
similar words:
begrime, draggle, muck, poison, smirch, smudge
definition 2: to jam or obstruct (a gun barrel or the like).
synonyms:
block, clog, jam, obstruct
definition 3: to entangle or snag (a rope or other line).
synonyms:
entangle, snag, snarl, tangle
similar words:
snare
definition 4: to bring dishonor or disgrace to.
He fouled the good name of his family.
synonyms:
besmirch, blacken, defile, dirty, dishonor, shame, stain
similar words:
besmear, smirch, soil, spatter, tarnish
definition 5: in games and sports, to commit a foul against (another player).
definition 6: in baseball, to hit (a foul ball).
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
definition 1: to become foul.
synonyms:
decompose, putrefy, rot, spoil
similar words:
stink
definition 2: to commit an infraction of the rules of a game or sport.
definition 3: to become entangled, snagged, or jammed, as a rope or a gun barrel.
synonyms:
choke, jam, snag, snarl
similar words:
clog
definition 4: in baseball, to hit a foul ball.
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
phrase: foul out, foul up
derivations: foully (adv.), foulness (n.)
Homophone Note
Are you looking for the word fowl (a bird). Foul and fowl sound alike but have different meanings.
Word Explorer
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  sense, sport, weather