an act that violates the rules of a sport
Used in a Sentence
foul
How to use foul in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for foul.
Editorial note
It's not at all clear whether there was foul play involved.
Examples7
Definitions16
Parts of speech3
Quick take
an act that violates the rules of a sport
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of foul gathered in one view.
hit a foul ball
make impure; "The industrial wastes polluted the lake"
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for foul.
noun
an act that violates the rules of a sport
verb
hit a foul ball
verb
make impure; "The industrial wastes polluted the lake"
See also: pollute, contaminate
verb
become or cause to become obstructed; "The leaves clog our drains in the Fall"; "The water pipe is backed up"
verb
commit a foul; break the rules
verb
spot, stain, or pollute; "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it"
verb
make unclean; "foul the water"
verb
become soiled and dirty
adjective
highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust; "a disgusting smell"; "distasteful language"; "a loathsome disease"; "the idea of eating meat is repellent to me"; "revolting food"; "a wicked stench"
adjective
offensively malodorous; "a foul odor"; "the kitchen smelled really funky"
See also: fetid, foetid, foul-smelling, funky, noisome, smelly, stinking, ill-scented
adjective
violating accepted standards or rules; "a dirty fighter"; "used foul means to gain power"; "a nasty unsporting serve"; "fined for unsportsmanlike behavior"
See also: dirty, unsporting, unsportsmanlike
adjective
(of a baseball) not hit between the foul lines
adjective
(of a manuscript) defaced with changes; "foul (or dirty) copy"
adjective
characterized by obscenity; "had a filthy mouth"; "foul language"; "smutty jokes"
adjective
disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter; "as filthy as a pigsty"; "a foul pond"; "a nasty pigsty of a room"
adjective
especially of a ship's lines etc; "with its sails afoul"; "a foul anchor"
See also: fouled
Example sentences
It's not at all clear whether there was foul play involved.
Let's not make this taboo merely for the sake of falling foul of some internet meme.
If the same was done to them, someone pursuing their families, they would be crying foul from the internet's roof tops.
But I'm extremely uncomfortable by the fact that foul play is a real possibility.
There is nothing there to abuse, no "environment" to foul, no natives to exploit, nothing, not even bacteria.
If someone randomly kills them self by jumping off a bridge and no one sees it happen, there is no suicide note, or any other signs, then there could have been foul play because there is no evidence to prove or disprove it.
Chrome defaulting to Metro\nmode for Windows 8 users during a period when the browser barely or\nintermittently supported touch leaves me with only foul things to say to a Chrome dev\nor their program manager if I ever meet one.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use foul in a sentence?
It's not at all clear whether there was foul play involved.
What does foul mean?
an act that violates the rules of a sport
What part of speech is foul?
foul is commonly used as noun, verb, adjective.