—adj.
1 offensive to the senses; loathsome, stinking.
2 dirty, soiled, filthy.
3 colloq. revolting, disgusting.
4 a containing or charged with noxious matter (foul air). b clogged, choked.
5 morally polluted; disgustingly abusive or offensive (foul language; foul deeds).
6 unfair; against the rules of a game etc. (by fair means or foul).
7 (of the weather) wet, rough, stormy.
8 (of a rope etc.) entangled.
9 (of a ship's bottom) overgrown with weeds, barnacles, etc.
—n.
1 Sport an unfair or invalid stroke or piece of play.
2 a collision or entanglement, esp. in riding, rowing, or running.
3 a foul thing.
—adv. unfairly; contrary to the rules.
—v.
1 tr. & intr. make or become foul or dirty.
2 tr. (of an animal) make dirty with excrement.
3 a tr. Sport commit a foul against (a player). b intr. commit a foul.
4 a tr. (often foll. by up) cause (an anchor, cable, etc.) to become entangled or muddled. b intr. become entangled.
5 tr. jam or block (a crossing, railway line, or traffic).
6 tr. (usu. foll. by up) colloq. spoil or bungle.
7 tr. run foul of; collide with.
8 tr. pollute with guilt; dishonour.
Phrases and idioms:
foul brood a fatal disease of larval bees caused by bacteria. foul mouth a person who uses foul language. foul play
1 unfair play in games.
2 treacherous or violent activity, esp. murder. foul-up a muddled or bungled situation.
Derivatives:
foully adv. foulness n.
Etymology: OE ful f. Gmc
Useful english dictionary. 2012.