I. ˈfau̇(-ə)l adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English fūl; akin to Old High German fūl rotten, Latin pus pus, putēre to stink, Greek pyon pus
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : offensive to the senses : loathsome
b. : filled or covered with offensive matter
2. : full of dirt or mud
3.
a. : morally or spiritually odious : detestable
a foul crime
b. : notably unpleasant or distressing : wretched , horrid
in a foul mood
4. : obscene , abusive
foul language
5.
a. : being wet and stormy
b. : obstructive to navigation
a foul tide
6. dialect British : homely , ugly
7.
a. : treacherous , dishonorable
fair means or foul
b. : constituting an infringement of rules in a game or sport
a foul blow in boxing
8. : containing marked-up corrections
a foul manuscript
foul proofs
9. : encrusted, clogged, or choked with a foreign substance
the chimney was foul and smoked badly
10. : being odorous and impure : polluted
foul air
11. : placed in a situation that impedes physical movement : entangled
12. : being outside the foul lines in baseball
Synonyms: see dirty
• foul·ly ˈfau̇(l)-lē adverb
• foul·ness noun
II. noun
Date: before 12th century
1. archaic : something foul
2. : an entanglement or collision especially in angling or sailing
3.
a. : an infringement of the rules in a game or sport
b. : free throw
4. : foul ball
III. verb
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1. : to become or be foul: as
a. : decompose , rot
b. : to become encrusted, clogged, or choked with a foreign substance
c. : to become entangled or come into collision
2. : to commit a violation of the rules in a sport or game
3. : to hit a foul ball
transitive verb
1. : to make foul: as
a. : to make dirty : pollute
b. : to tangle or come into collision with
c. : to encrust with a foreign substance
a ship's bottom foul ed with barnacles
d. : obstruct , block
2. : dishonor , discredit
3. : to commit a foul against
4. : to hit (a baseball) foul
IV. adverb
Date: 13th century
: in a foul manner : so as to be foul