释义 |
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024foul•ing (fou′ling),USA pronunciation n. - Nautical, Naval Termsan encrusted deposit, esp. on a submerged object, as the hull of a ship.
- 1350–1400; Middle English foulinge; see foul, -ing1
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024foul /faʊl/USA pronunciation adj. - offensive to the senses;
disgusting:a foul smell from the river. - marked by offensive matter or qualities:The city air had become foul with pollution.
- very dirty;
filthy:foul rags. - clogged with foreign matter:a foul pipeline.
- stormy;
inclement:foul weather. - angry;
irritable:in a foul temper. - morally offensive:the foul crime of murder.
- profane;
obscene:foul language. - Gamescontrary to the rules or practices, as in a sport or game.
adv. - in a foul manner.
n. [countable] - Gamesa violation of the rules of a sport or game:disqualified for too many fouls.
v. - to make foul;
defile; soil:[~ + object]a river fouled with pollution. - to clog;
obstruct:[~ + object]The valves were fouled with dirt. - to (cause to) become entangled or caught, such as a rope: [no object]The ropes fouled in the wind.[~ + object]The wind and tides fouled the ropes.
- to dishonor;
disgrace:[~ + object]Scandal fouled his good name. - Sport[no object] to commit a foul in a sport or game.
- foul up, to make a mess;
bungle: [no object]really fouled up during the interview.[~ + up + object]really fouled up the interview.[~ + object + up]had really fouled it up this time. foul•ly, adv. foul•ness, n. [uncountable] WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024foul (foul),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, adv., n., v. adj. - grossly offensive to the senses;
disgustingly loathsome; noisome:a foul smell. - containing or characterized by offensive or noisome matter:foul air; foul stagnant water.
- filthy or dirty, as places, receptacles, clothes, etc.
- muddy, as a road.
- clogged or obstructed with foreign matter:a foul gas jet.
- unfavorable or stormy:foul weather.
- contrary, violent, or unfavorable, as the wind.
- grossly offensive in a moral sense.
- abominable, wicked, or vile, as deeds, crime, slander, etc.
- scurrilous, profane, or obscene;
offensive:foul language. - Gamescontrary to the rules or established usages, as of a sport or game;
unfair:a foul blow. - Sport[Baseball.]pertaining to a foul ball or a foul line.
- limited in freedom of movement by obstruction, entanglement, etc.:a foul anchor.
- abounding in errors or in marks of correction, as a printer's proof, manuscript, or the like.
- [Naut.]
- Naval Terms(of the underwater portion of a hull) encrusted and impeded with barnacles, seaweed, etc.
- Naval Terms(of a mooring place) involving inconveniences and dangers, as of colliding with vessels or other objects when swinging with the tide.
- Naval Terms(of the bottom of a body of water) affording a poor hold for an anchor (opposed to clean).
- Scottish Terms[North Eng. and Scot.]not fair;
ugly or unattractive. - [Obs.]disfigured.
adv. - in a foul manner;
vilely; unfairly. - Sport[Baseball.]into foul territory;
so as to be foul:It looked like a homer when he hit it, but it went foul. - fall foul or afoul of:
- Idiomsto collide with, as ships.
- Idiomsto come into conflict with;
quarrel. - Idiomsto make an attack;
assault.
- Idioms run foul or afoul of, to come into collision or controversy with:to run foul of the press.
n. - something that is foul.
- a collision or entanglement:a foul between two racing sculls.
- Gamesa violation of the rules of a sport or game:The referee called it a foul.
- Sport[Baseball.]See foul ball.
v.t. - to make foul;
defile; soil. - to clog or obstruct, as a chimney or the bore of a gun.
- to collide with.
- to cause to become entangled or caught, as a rope.
- to defile;
dishonor; disgrace:His reputation had been fouled by unfounded accusations. - Naval Terms[Naut.](of barnacles, seaweed, etc.) to cling to (a hull) so as to encumber.
- Sport[Baseball.]to hit (a pitched ball) foul (often fol. by off or away):He fouled off two curves before being struck out on a fastball.
v.i. - to become foul.
- Naval Terms[Naut.]to come into collision, as two boats.
- to become entangled or clogged:The rope fouled.
- Sportto make a foul play;
give a foul blow. - Sport Baseball. to hit a foul ball.
- Idioms foul one's nest. to dishonor one's own home, family, or the like.
- Sport foul out:
- [Baseball.]to be put out by hitting a foul ball caught on the fly by a player on the opposing team.
- [Basketball.]to be expelled from a game for having committed more fouls than is allowed.
- Informal Terms foul up, to cause confusion or disorder;
bungle; spoil.
- bef. 900; (adjective, adjectival and noun, nominal) Middle English ful, foul, Old English fūl; cognate with Gothic fuls, Old Norse fūll, Old High German fūl; akin to Latin pūs pus, pūtēre to stink, Greek pýon pus; (adverb, adverbial) Middle English fule, foule, derivative of the adjective, adjectival; (verb, verbal) Middle English fulen, derivative of the adjective, adjectival
foul′ly, adv. - 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged repulsive, repellent.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged fetid, putrid, stinking.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged unclean, polluted, sullied, soiled, stained, tainted, impure. See dirty.
- 6.See corresponding entry in Unabridged rainy, tempestuous.
- 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged adverse.
- 9.See corresponding entry in Unabridged base, shameful, infamous.
- 10.See corresponding entry in Unabridged smutty, vulgar, coarse, low.
- 26.See corresponding entry in Unabridged sully, stain, dirty, besmirch, taint, pollute.
- 30.See corresponding entry in Unabridged shame.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged pleasant.
- 3, 26.See corresponding entry in Unabridged clean.
- 5, 6.See corresponding entry in Unabridged clear.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: foul /faʊl/ adj - offensive to the senses; revolting
- offensive in odour; stinking
- charged with or full of dirt or offensive matter; filthy
- (of food) putrid; rotten
- morally or spiritually offensive; wicked; vile
- obscene; vulgar: foul language
- (esp of weather) unpleasant or adverse
- blocked or obstructed with dirt or foreign matter: a foul drain
- (of the bottom of a vessel) covered with barnacles and other growth that slow forward motion
- informal unsatisfactory or uninteresting; bad: a foul book
n - a violation of the rules
- (as modifier): a foul shot, a foul blow
- an entanglement or collision, esp in sailing or fishing
vb - to make or become dirty or polluted
- to become or cause to become entangled or snarled
- (transitive) to disgrace or dishonour
- to become or cause to become clogged or choked
- (transitive) (of underwater growth) to cling to (the bottom of a vessel) so as to slow its motion
- (transitive) to commit a foul against (an opponent)
- (intransitive) to infringe the rules
- to collide with (a boat, etc)
adv - in a foul or unfair manner
- fall foul of ⇒ to come into conflict with
- to come into collision with
Etymology: Old English fūl; related to Old Norse fūll, Gothic fūls smelling offensively, Latin pūs pus, Greek puol pusˈfoully adv |