Foul
/faʊl/adjective
Dirty or unpleasant.
The kitchen was in a foul state.
Often appears as...
- foul smell
- foul taste
adjective
Unfair or dishonest.
They accused him of foul play.
Often appears as...
- foul play
- commit a foul
verb
Make dirty or pollute.
The oil spill fouled the beach.
Often appears as...
- foul the water
- foul the air
adjective
Having a bad or offensive smell.
A foul smell emanated from the garbage.
Often appears as...
- foul odor
- foul stench
verb
Break the rules in a sports game.
He was penalized for fouling the opponent.
Often appears as...
- commit a foul
- foul play
adjective
Dirty or unpleasant.
The kitchen was in a foul state.
Often appears as...
- foul smell
- foul taste
adjective
Unfair or dishonest.
They accused him of foul play.
Often appears as...
- foul play
- commit a foul
verb
Make dirty or pollute.
The oil spill fouled the beach.
Often appears as...
- foul the water
- foul the air
adjective
Having a bad or offensive smell.
A foul smell emanated from the garbage.
Often appears as...
- foul odor
- foul stench
verb
Break the rules in a sports game.
He was penalized for fouling the opponent.
Often appears as...
- commit a foul
- foul play
Definition 1 of 5
Pro Tip 1/2Negative Descriptions
Used when describing situations that are very unclean or messy.
After the concert, the venue was left in a foul state.
Pro Tip 2/2Strong Disapproval
Express strong disapproval of places or objects, not people.
The fridge has a foul smell because it hasn't been cleaned in months.
Compare with
dirtyfilthygrimygrubbymuddynastyuncleanvile
Never forget "Foul"
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Video examples
Discovering Wildlife in...
So that's where it likes to hunt all of its invertebrates. It's very quick, and it's also got a couple of defence mechanisms and threat displays so it can raise up its abdomen a bit like a scorpion, it does a scorpion like pose, and that's to intimidate its predators. It also, if it needs to, can spray out a foul smelling liquid out of its abdomen.
Video examples
Do politics make us...
and most people are driven to resolve this uncomfortable state of limbo. You might start to blame the referee, complain that the other team started it, or even convince yourself there was no foul in the first place. In a case like this, people are often more motivated to maintain a positive relationship
Video examples
Biomimicry in action PIPE...
We're not the first ones to have to protect ourselves from some bacteria. Turns out that -- this is a Galapagos Shark. It has no bacteria on its surface, no fouling on its surface, no barnacles. And it's not because it goes fast. It actually basks. It's a slow-moving shark.
Video examples
Why you think you're...
that when the referee judges that your team committed a foul, for example, you're highly motivated to find reasons why he's wrong. But if he judges that the other team committed a foul -- awesome! That's a good call, let's not examine it too closely.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 121 PIPE...
spur fowl making all sorts of noises in the background and you see him said there we go there's the Saran cents per foul male you can tell it's a male by the spurs on the back of the feet on the back of the leg which they used for fighting
Video examples
Hire the hackers! -...
you know they're just relentless and obsessive about what they do but all of the people who I have spoken to who fallen foul of the law they have all said please please give us a chance to work in the legitimate industry we just
Video examples
Misha Glenny: Hire the...
They're just relentless and obsessive about what they do. But all of the people who I've spoken to who have fallen foul of the law, they have all said, "Please, please give us a chance to work in the legitimate industry.
Video examples
Catch of the Week:...
good as it gets right there what a lie what's he worth per foul all right okay all right well take it thank you very much you're welcome all right well then don't was great but now it's important we got to get right
Video examples
How to write like the...
but usually, fail to completely understand. For example, when a character cries that “Everything tastes foul today,” just minutes before he dies, the reader races to determine who poisoned his beverage.
Video examples
How do we reason for a...
religion with religion and the other side is going to cry foul so it seems to me that disagreement over reasons while central problem doesn't necessarily show that disagreement per se is that I mean
Video examples
Discovering Wildlife in...
So that's where it likes to hunt all of its invertebrates. It's very quick, and it's also got a couple of defence mechanisms and threat displays so it can raise up its abdomen a bit like a scorpion, it does a scorpion like pose, and that's to intimidate its predators. It also, if it needs to, can spray out a foul smelling liquid out of its abdomen.
Video examples
Do politics make us...
and most people are driven to resolve this uncomfortable state of limbo. You might start to blame the referee, complain that the other team started it, or even convince yourself there was no foul in the first place. In a case like this, people are often more motivated to maintain a positive relationship
Video examples
Biomimicry in action PIPE...
We're not the first ones to have to protect ourselves from some bacteria. Turns out that -- this is a Galapagos Shark. It has no bacteria on its surface, no fouling on its surface, no barnacles. And it's not because it goes fast. It actually basks. It's a slow-moving shark.
Video examples
Why you think you're...
that when the referee judges that your team committed a foul, for example, you're highly motivated to find reasons why he's wrong. But if he judges that the other team committed a foul -- awesome! That's a good call, let's not examine it too closely.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 121 PIPE...
spur fowl making all sorts of noises in the background and you see him said there we go there's the Saran cents per foul male you can tell it's a male by the spurs on the back of the feet on the back of the leg which they used for fighting
Video examples
Hire the hackers! -...
you know they're just relentless and obsessive about what they do but all of the people who I have spoken to who fallen foul of the law they have all said please please give us a chance to work in the legitimate industry we just
Video examples
Misha Glenny: Hire the...
They're just relentless and obsessive about what they do. But all of the people who I've spoken to who have fallen foul of the law, they have all said, "Please, please give us a chance to work in the legitimate industry.
Video examples
Catch of the Week:...
good as it gets right there what a lie what's he worth per foul all right okay all right well take it thank you very much you're welcome all right well then don't was great but now it's important we got to get right
Video examples
How to write like the...
but usually, fail to completely understand. For example, when a character cries that “Everything tastes foul today,” just minutes before he dies, the reader races to determine who poisoned his beverage.
Video examples
How do we reason for a...
religion with religion and the other side is going to cry foul so it seems to me that disagreement over reasons while central problem doesn't necessarily show that disagreement per se is that I mean
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Jackie Robinson
American Baseball Player
When I am playing baseball, I give it all that I have on the ball field. When the ball game is over, I certainly don't take it home. My little girl who is sitting out there wouldn't know the difference between a third strike and a foul ball. We don't talk about baseball at home.
Quote examples
Zhuangzi
Chinese Philosopher
All existing things are really one. We regard those that are beautiful and rare as valuable, and those that are ugly as foul and rotten The foul and rotten may come to be transformed into what is rare and valuable, and the rare and valuable into what is foul and rotten.
Quote examples
Michael Leunig
Australian Cartoonist
Life seems sadly mishandled by humans, as if it's all too much for them - they spend so much time and energy hurting each other, making things worse, and fouling their own nest, all because they imagine things aren't good enough and should be made much better.
Quote examples
Eden Hazard
Belgian Athlete
That's my mentality. Just because somebody has fouled me, there is no reason for me to be nasty to him. I try to respect football as much as possible, and when someone is injured, you put the ball out.
Quote examples
Sue Wicks
American Athlete
Sometimes people think that if you're always helping people up and never hit someone with a hard foul, you're automatically a good sport. I don't believe that.
Quote examples
Francis Bacon
English Philosopher
It is in life as it is in ways, the shortest way is commonly the foulest, and surely the fairer way is not much about.
Quote examples
Howie Long
American Football Player
I don't think I had one personal foul in my career. Now, that being said, no one can ever say I never brought it.
Quote examples
John Wooden
American Coach
Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.
Quote examples
Fernandinho
Brazilian Athlete
I have heard what has been said, but most of the time, I recover the ball without making a foul.
Quote examples
William Shakespeare
English Playwright
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
Quote examples
Jackie Robinson
American Baseball Player
When I am playing baseball, I give it all that I have on the ball field. When the ball game is over, I certainly don't take it home. My little girl who is sitting out there wouldn't know the difference between a third strike and a foul ball. We don't talk about baseball at home.
Quote examples
Zhuangzi
Chinese Philosopher
All existing things are really one. We regard those that are beautiful and rare as valuable, and those that are ugly as foul and rotten The foul and rotten may come to be transformed into what is rare and valuable, and the rare and valuable into what is foul and rotten.
Quote examples
Michael Leunig
Australian Cartoonist
Life seems sadly mishandled by humans, as if it's all too much for them - they spend so much time and energy hurting each other, making things worse, and fouling their own nest, all because they imagine things aren't good enough and should be made much better.
Quote examples
Eden Hazard
Belgian Athlete
That's my mentality. Just because somebody has fouled me, there is no reason for me to be nasty to him. I try to respect football as much as possible, and when someone is injured, you put the ball out.
Quote examples
Sue Wicks
American Athlete
Sometimes people think that if you're always helping people up and never hit someone with a hard foul, you're automatically a good sport. I don't believe that.
Quote examples
Francis Bacon
English Philosopher
It is in life as it is in ways, the shortest way is commonly the foulest, and surely the fairer way is not much about.
Quote examples
Howie Long
American Football Player
I don't think I had one personal foul in my career. Now, that being said, no one can ever say I never brought it.
Quote examples
John Wooden
American Coach
Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.
Quote examples
Fernandinho
Brazilian Athlete
I have heard what has been said, but most of the time, I recover the ball without making a foul.
Quote examples
William Shakespeare
English Playwright
So foul and fair a day I have not seen.
Example 1 of 10
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