foul
fowl
Foul (adj) means Dirty, disgusting, or unpleasant, especially in smell or taste. Example: “The milk had gone off and smelled absolutely foul.”
adj
1
Dirty, disgusting, or unpleasant, especially in smell or taste.
"The milk had gone off and smelled absolutely foul."
"A foul odor came from the abandoned building."
"The weather turned foul just as they set off."
2
Vulgar or abusive, especially referring to language.
"The coach banned foul language from the training ground."
"She was shocked by the foul insults shouted from the crowd."
"He apologized for his foul language during the game."
verb
1
To make something dirty, blocked, or tangled.
"Weeds fouled the boat's rudder and made it hard to steer."
"Fallen leaves had fouled the drain, so water pooled in the yard."
"Oil fouled the propeller and stalled the engine."
2
In sports, to break a rule through illegal contact with an opponent.
"The striker was sent off for fouling the goalkeeper twice."
"He fouled her on the way to the basket and the whistle blew."
"The defender fouled him just outside the box."
noun
1
A violation of a game's rules, often involving contact with another player.
"The player argued that it was not a foul at all."
"The team lost the lead after a careless foul in the final minute."
"The referee called a foul for the shove."
2
In baseball, a hit ball that lands outside the field of fair play.
"The batter sent a high foul over the fence behind third base."
"That ball was a foul, so the runner went back to the base."
"He hit a foul into the stands behind first base."
How to use foul
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDirty or disgusting, or (in sports) a rule violation involving illegal contact.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "fowl," a bird — they sound identical but mean completely different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
foul play
foul language
commit a foul
foul weather
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Word forms
- Plural
- fouls
- Third person singular
- fouls
- Past tense
- fouled
- Comparative
- fouler
- Superlative
- foulest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The milk had gone off and smelled absolutely _____.
Etymology
From Old English fūl, "dirty, rotten, corrupt" — a very old Germanic word related to the idea of decay.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for foul
See all rhymes for foul →Frequently asked questions
What does “foul” mean?
The word “foul” means dirty, disgusting, or unpleasant, especially in smell or taste. In plain terms, dirty or disgusting, or (in sports) a rule violation involving illegal contact.
How do you pronounce “foul”?
“Foul” is pronounced fowl (/faʊl/ in IPA).
How do you use “foul” in a sentence?
Here is “foul” used in a sentence: “A foul odor came from the abandoned building.”
What part of speech is “foul”?
Depending on how it is used, “foul” can be an adjective, a verb and a noun.
Where does the word “foul” come from?
The word “foul” comes from Old English. From Old English fūl, "dirty, rotten, corrupt" — a very old Germanic word related to the idea of decay.
Is “foul” a common word?
“Foul” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “foul” have?
“Foul” has 6 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: dirty, disgusting, or unpleasant, especially in smell or taste.
What is the difference between "foul" and "fowl"?
"Foul" means dirty, disgusting, or against the rules, as in "a foul smell" or "a foul in basketball," while "fowl" is a noun for birds such as chickens and ducks. The two words sound identical but are never interchangeable, and the phrase "foul play" is always spelled "foul."
What is the difference between a foul and a penalty in sports?
A foul is the illegal act itself, typically breaking a rule through unfair contact with an opponent, while a penalty is the punishment the referee awards for it, such as a free kick or free throws. Commentators therefore say a player "commits a foul" and the other team "wins a penalty."
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