Foul: meaning, definitions and examples

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foul

[ faʊl ]

Noun / Adjective

^{Context #1 | Noun}

sports

An unfair or offensive act against an opponent.

Synonyms

infraction, transgression, violation.

Examples of usage

The referee penalized the player for a foul.
He committed a foul by tripping the opposing player.

^{Context #2 | Adjective}

language

Offensive to the senses; disgusting.

Synonyms

disgusting, nauseating, repugnant.

Examples of usage

The foul smell coming from the garbage can was unbearable.
The food had a foul taste to it.

^{Context #3 | Adjective}

behavior

Vulgar or obscene.

Synonyms

indecent, obscene, vulgar.

Examples of usage

He used foul language in front of the children.
Her foul behavior was not acceptable in a professional setting.

Translations

Translations of the word "foul" in other languages:

🇵🇹 falta

🇮🇳 फाउल

🇩🇪 Foul

🇮🇩 pelanggaran

🇺🇦 порушення

🇵🇱 faul

🇯🇵 ファウル

🇫🇷 faute

🇪🇸 falta

🇹🇷 faul

🇰🇷 파울

🇸🇦 خطأ

🇨🇿 faul

🇸🇰 faul

🇨🇳 犯规

🇸🇮 prekršek

🇮🇸 brot

🇰🇿 бұзушылық

🇬🇪 ფოლი

🇦🇿 faul

🇲🇽 falta

Etymology

The word 'foul' has a long history, dating back to Middle English. It originated from Old French 'fouler' meaning 'to trample'. Over time, the word evolved to encompass meanings related to offensive behavior, disgusting smells, and violations in sports. The diverse usage of 'foul' reflects its versatility in the English language.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,378 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.

...
7375 triple
7376 durable
7377 dependency
7378 foul
7379 yeast
7380 inflicted
7381 graduation
...