Foul | Mean of foul in English Dictionary

/ˈfawəl/

• very unpleasant to taste or smell
1. the foul odor of rotten eggs
2. foul breath/air
3. The medicine left a foul taste in my mouth.
4. a foul-smelling chemical
• morally bad
1. a foul crime
• very bad or unpleasant
1. He was in a foul [=angry] mood.
2. The weather has been foul all week.
3. They do their job in fair weather and foul. [=in good weather and bad weather]

• indecent and offensive
1. foul [=dirty] language
2. She has a foul mouth. [=she uses foul language; she speaks in an indecent and offensive way]
• very unfair
1. He's determined to get what he wants, whether by fair means or foul.
• outside the area between the foul lines
1. foul territory
2. a foul grounder
• to get into trouble because of (the law, a rule, etc.)
1. After leaving school she fell foul of the law. [=she got into trouble with the law; she was arrested for committing a crime]
2. companies that fall foul of labor laws
• Noun
• an action that is against the rules and for which a player is given a penalty
1. She committed three fouls. = She was charged with three fouls.
2. a basketball player in foul trouble [=a player who has committed several fouls; a player who is close to fouling out]
• a batted ball that lands outside the foul lines
1. He hit several fouls in a row.
• Verb
• to make (a substance, place, etc.) dirty
1. pollutants that foul the air
2. fouling [=befouling] the sacred waters
• to commit a foul
1. She fouled on her first long jump attempt.
• to commit a foul against (another player)
1. The other team has fouled him [=hit him, held him, etc.] repeatedly.
2. He was fouled as he attempted the shot.
• to hit (a pitched ball) so that it lands outside the foul lines
1. He kept fouling pitches/balls into the stands.
2. He fouled off several pitches in a row.
• to become twisted around (something) so that it cannot move, be used, etc.
1. The anchor's rope fouled the propeller.
• to be forced to leave a game because you have made too many fouls
1. She fouled out (of the game) without scoring a point.
• to make an out by hitting a foul fly ball that is caught by a fielder
1. The batter fouled out to the first baseman.
• to ruin or spoil (something)
1. The weather has fouled up our plans.
2. She fouled up [=ruined, messed up] our plans by forgetting to make the reservations.
• to make mistakes
1. Whenever I try to be clever, I usually foul up. [=mess up]