Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Browse Nearby Entries
foul
2 dictionary results for: Foulest
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
foul       [foul] Pronunciation Key adjective, -er, -est, adverb, noun, verb
–adjective
1.grossly offensive to the senses; disgustingly loathsome; noisome: a foul smell.
2.containing or characterized by offensive or noisome matter: foul air; foul stagnant water.
3.filthy or dirty, as places, receptacles, clothes, etc.
4.muddy, as a road.
5.clogged or obstructed with foreign matter: a foul gas jet.
6.unfavorable or stormy: foul weather.
7.contrary, violent, or unfavorable, as the wind.
8.grossly offensive in a moral sense.
9.abominable, wicked, or vile, as deeds, crime, slander, etc.
10.scurrilous, profane, or obscene; offensive: foul language.
11.contrary to the rules or established usages, as of a sport or game; unfair: a foul blow.
12.Baseball. pertaining to a foul ball or a foul line.
13.limited in freedom of movement by obstruction, entanglement, etc.: a foul anchor.
14.abounding in errors or in marks of correction, as a printer's proof, manuscript, or the like.
15.Nautical.
a.(of the underwater portion of a hull) encrusted and impeded with barnacles, seaweed, etc.
b.(of a mooring place) involving inconveniences and dangers, as of colliding with vessels or other objects when swinging with the tide.
c.(of the bottom of a body of water) affording a poor hold for an anchor (opposed to clean).
16.North England and Scot.. not fair; ugly or unattractive.
17.Obsolete. disfigured.
–adverb
18.in a foul manner; vilely; unfairly.
19.Baseball. into foul territory; so as to be foul: It looked like a homer when he hit it, but it went foul.
–noun
20.something that is foul.
21.a collision or entanglement: a foul between two racing sculls.
22.a violation of the rules of a sport or game: The referee called it a foul.
23.Baseball. foul ball.
–verb (used with object)
24.to make foul; defile; soil.
25.to clog or obstruct, as a chimney or the bore of a gun.
26.to collide with.
27.to cause to become entangled or caught, as a rope.
28.to defile; dishonor; disgrace: His reputation had been fouled by unfounded accusations.
29.Nautical. (of barnacles, seaweed, etc.) to cling to (a hull) so as to encumber.
30.Baseball. to hit (a pitched ball) foul (often fol. by off or away): He fouled off two curves before being struck out on a fastball.
–verb (used without object)
31.to become foul.
32.Nautical. to come into collision, as two boats.
33.to become entangled or clogged: The rope fouled.
34.Sports. to make a foul play; give a foul blow.
35.Baseball. to hit a foul ball.
—Verb phrases
36.foul out,
a.Baseball. to be put out by hitting a foul ball caught on the fly by a player on the opposing team.
b.Basketball. to be expelled from a game for having committed more fouls than is allowed.
37.foul up, Informal. to cause confusion or disorder; bungle; spoil.
—Idioms
38.fall foul or afoul of,
a.to collide with, as ships.
b.to come into conflict with; quarrel.
c.to make an attack; assault.
39.foul one's nest. to dishonor one's own home, family, or the like.
40.run foul or afoul of, to come into collision or controversy with: to run foul of the press.
[Origin: bef. 900; (adj. and n.) ME ful, foul, OE fūl; c. Goth fuls, ON fūll, OHG fūl; akin to L pūs pus, pūtére to stink, Gk pýon pus; (adv.) ME fule, foule, deriv. of the adj.; (v.) ME fulen, deriv. of the adj.]

—Related forms
foully, adverb

—Synonyms 1. repulsive, repellent. 2. fetid, putrid, stinking. 3. unclean, polluted, sullied, soiled, stained, tainted, impure. See dirty. 6. rainy, tempestuous. 7. adverse. 9. base, shameful, infamous. 10. smutty, vulgar, coarse, low. 24. sully, stain, dirty, besmirch, taint, pollute. 28. shame.
—Antonyms 1. pleasant. 3, 24. clean. 5, 6. clear.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
foul       (foul)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.   foul·er, foul·est
  1. Offensive to the senses; revolting.
  2. Having an offensive odor; smelly.
  3. Rotten or putrid: foul meat.
    1. Full of dirt or mud; dirty. See Synonyms at dirty.
    2. Full of impurities; polluted: foul air.
    3. Sports Contrary to the rules of a game or sport: a foul boxing punch.
    4. Baseball Outside the foul lines: a foul fly ball.
  5. Morally detestable; wicked: foul deeds.
  6. Of a vulgar or obscene nature: foul language.
  7. Very disagreeable or displeasing; horrid: a foul movie.
  8. Bad or unfavorable: in fair weather or foul.
  9. Violating accepted standards or rules; dishonorable: used foul means to gain power.
    1. Sports Contrary to the rules of a game or sport: a foul boxing punch.
    2. Baseball Outside the foul lines: a foul fly ball.
  11. Entangled or twisted: a foul anchor.
  12. Clogged or obstructed; blocked: a foul ventilator shaft.
  13. Archaic Ugly; unattractive.

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

adv.   In a foul manner.

v.   fouled, foul·ing, fouls

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

v.   intr.
  1. To become foul.
    1. Sports To commit a foul.
    2. Baseball To hit a ball outside the foul lines: fouled twice and then struck out; fouled out to the catcher.
  3. To become entangled or twisted: The anchor line fouled on a rock.
  4. To become clogged or obstructed.

Phrasal Verb(s):
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.

[Middle English, from Old English fūl; see p- in Indo-European roots.]

foul'ly adv., foul'ness n.
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT
Share This:Share This: digg.comShare This: ma.gnolia.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: www.google.com