Befoul: meaning, definitions and examples
๐
befoul
[ bษชหfaสl ]
to make dirty
To befoul means to make something dirty or unclean by contaminating it with filth or other unwanted materials. This term is often used in a figurative sense to describe actions or behaviors that sully one's reputation or morals. It can apply to both physical and abstract concepts, such as purity, cleanliness, or respectability. The act of befouling may be intentional or unintentional, and it usually implies a degree of degradation. Overall, befoul suggests a significant departure from cleanliness or integrity.
Synonyms
dirty, dishonor, pollute, soil, taint.
Examples of usage
- The children befouled the park with trash.
- He felt that the scandal would befoul his name forever.
- The oil spill befouled the pristine beach.
Translations
Translations of the word "befoul" in other languages:
๐ต๐น contaminar
๐ฎ๐ณ เคเคเคฆเคพ เคเคฐเคจเคพ
๐ฉ๐ช beschmutzen
๐ฎ๐ฉ mengotori
๐บ๐ฆ ะทะฐะฑััะดะฝัะฒะฐัะธ
๐ต๐ฑ zanieczyszczaฤ
๐ฏ๐ต ๆฑใ
๐ซ๐ท contaminer
๐ช๐ธ contaminar
๐น๐ท kirletmek
๐ฐ๐ท ๋๋ฝํ๋ค
๐ธ๐ฆ ุชููุซ
๐จ๐ฟ zneฤistit
๐ธ๐ฐ zneฤistiลฅ
๐จ๐ณ ๆฑกๆ
๐ธ๐ฎ onesnaลพiti
๐ฎ๐ธ sรณรฐa
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะปะฐััะปะฐั
๐ฌ๐ช แแแแแซแฃแ แแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ รงirklษndirmษk
๐ฒ๐ฝ contaminar
Etymology
The word 'befoul' originates from the Middle English term 'befoulen', which is formed by the prefix 'be-' combined with ' foul'. The root 'foul' comes from Old English 'fลซl', which means 'dirty' or 'unclean'. The use of 'be-' as a prefix typically indicates a process of causing something to become a certain way. In this case, 'befoul' conveys the action of causing something to become foul or dirty. The term has been used since the late Middle Ages and has remained relevant in literature and everyday language, particularly in poetic or formal contexts. Over the centuries, 'befoul' has retained its core meaning of causing defilement or contamination.