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foul

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The definition of foul is someone or something very unpleasant, dirty, rotten or obscene.

(adjective)

An example of foul used as an adjective is a foul odor such as the smell of a dirty cat litter box.
An example of foul is the smell of fish that's been laying out in the sun.
An example of foul is language calling a young woman a slut.

See foul in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

so offensive to the senses as to cause disgust; stinking; loathsome: a foul odor
extremely dirty or impure; disgustingly filthy
full of or blocked up with dirt or foreign objects: a foul pipe
putrid; rotten: said of food
not decent; obscene; profane: foul language
very wicked; abominable: a foul murder
not clear; stormy; unfavorable: foul weather, winds, etc.
tangled or snarled; caught: a foul rope
not according to the rules of a game; unfair, by either accident or intention
treacherous; dishonest
Chiefly Brit., Now Dial. ugly
Informal unpleasant, disagreeable, etc.
☆ Baseball of or having to do with the part of the field that lies outside the foul lines
Printing containing errors or marked with changes: foul copy or proof

Origin: ME < OE ful, akin to Ger faul, rotten, lazy < IE base *pū-, *pu-, to stink (< ? exclamation of disgust) > L putere, to rot, Gr pyon, pus

adverb

in a foul way
Baseball in or into the part of the field that lies outside the foul lines

noun

anything foul; specif.,

a collision of boats, contestants, etc.
an infraction of the rules, as of a game or sport
Baseball foul ball

transitive verb

to make foul; dirty; soil; defile
to dishonor or disgrace
to impede or obstruct; specif.,
1. to fill up; encrust; choke: to foul a drain with grease
2. to cover (the bottom of a ship) with barnacles, seaweed, etc.
3. to entangle; catch: a rope fouled in the shrouds
to make a foul against in a contest or game
☆ Baseball to bat (the ball) so that it falls outside the foul lines

intransitive verb

to become dirty, filthy, or rotten
to be clogged or choked
to become tangled
to break the rules of a game
Baseball to bat the ball so that it falls outside the foul lines or is caught there: to foul to the third baseman

Related Forms:

foully adverb
foulness noun

See foul in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective foul·er, foul·est

Offensive to the senses; revolting.
Having an offensive odor; smelly.
Rotten or putrid: foul meat.
a. Full of dirt or mud; dirty. See Synonyms at dirty.
b. Full of impurities; polluted: foul air.
Morally detestable; wicked: foul deeds.
Of a vulgar or obscene nature: foul language.
Very disagreeable or displeasing; horrid: a foul movie.
Bad or unfavorable: in fair weather or foul.
Violating accepted standards or rules; dishonorable: used foul means to gain power.
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.
Entangled or twisted: a foul anchor.
Clogged or obstructed; blocked: a foul ventilator shaft.
Archaic Ugly; unattractive.

noun

Abbr. F
a. Sports An infraction or a violation of the rules of play.
b. Baseball A foul ball.
An entanglement or a collision.
An instance of clogging or obstructing.

adverb

In a foul manner.

verb fouled, foul·ing, fouls

verb, transitive

To make dirty or foul; pollute. See Synonyms at contaminate.
To bring into dishonor; besmirch.
To clog or obstruct.
To entangle or catch (a rope, for example).
Nautical To encrust (a ship's hull) with foreign matter, such as barnacles.
a. Sports To commit a foul against.
b. Baseball To hit (a ball) outside the foul lines.

verb, intransitive

To become foul.
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.
To become entangled or twisted: The anchor line fouled on a rock.
To become clogged or obstructed.

Phrasal Verbs: 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.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English fūl; see pū̆- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: