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foul
foul / foul/ • adj. 1. offensive to the senses, esp. through having a disgusting smell or taste or being unpleasantly soiled: a foul odor his foul breath. ∎ inf. very disagreeable or unpleasant: the news had put Michelle in a foul mood. ∎ (of the weather) wet and stormy. ∎ Sailing (of wind or tide) opposed to one's desired course. 2. wicked or immoral: murder most foul. ∎ (of language) obscene or profane. ∎ done contrary to the rules of a sport: a foul tackle. 3. containing or charged with noxious matter; polluted: foul, swampy water. ∎ (foul with) clogged or choked with: the land was foul with weeds. ∎ Naut. (of a rope or anchor) entangled. ∎ (of a ship's bottom) encrusted with algae, barnacles, or other marine growth. ∎ Printing (of a first copy or proof) defaced by corrections. • n. 1. (in sports) an unfair or invalid stroke or piece of play, esp. one involving interference with an opponent. ∎ a collision or entanglement in riding, rowing, or running. ∎ short for foul ball. 2. inf., dated a disease in the feet of cattle. • adv. unfairly; contrary to the rules. ∎ (in sports) in foul territory: if a batter hits a bunt foul with two strikes, he is out. • v. [tr.] 1. make foul or dirty; pollute: factories that fouled the atmosphere. ∎ disgrace or dishonor. ∎ (of an animal) make (something) dirty with excrement: make sure that your pet never fouls the sidewalk. ∎ (foul oneself) (of a person) defecate involuntarily. 2. (in sports) commit a foul against (an opponent). ∎ Baseball hit a foul ball: Carter fouled into the glove of Boggs. 3. (of a ship) collide with or interfere with the passage of (another). ∎ cause (a cable, anchor, or other object) to become entangled or jammed: watch out for driftwood which might foul up the engine. ∎ [intr.] become entangled in this way. PHRASES: fall foul ofsee fall. foul one's (own) nest do something damaging or harmful to oneself or one's own interests.PHRASAL VERBS: foul out Basketball be put out of the game for exceeding the permitted number of fouls. ∎ Baseball (of a batter) be made out by hitting a foul ball that is caught by an opposing player: Wilson has never fouled out against this young pitcher. foul something up (or foul up) make a mistake with or spoil something: leaders should admit when they completely foul things up.DERIVATIVES: foul·ly / ˈfou(l)lē/ adv. foul·ness n. ORIGIN: Old English fūl, of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse fúll ‘foul,’ Dutch vuil ‘dirty,’ and German faul ‘rotten, lazy,’ from an Indo-European root shared by Latin pus, Greek puos ‘pus,’ and Latin putere ‘to stink.’ |
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Cite this article
"foul." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "foul." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-foul.html "foul." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-foul.html |
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foul
foul, or fouled, anchor.
1. An anchor which has become hooked in some impediment on the seabed or, on weighing, has its cable wound round the stock or the flukes. 2. The foul anchor was also the official seal of the Lord High Admiral of Britain. Its adoption as his official seal dates from the end of the 16th century when it was incorporated as part of the arms of Lord Howard of Effingham, then Lord High Admiral. A form of it, however, had been in use by the Lord High Admiral of Scotland about a century earlier. The use of the foul, or fouled, anchor, an abomination to seamen when it occurs in practice, as the seal of the highest office of maritime administration is purely on the grounds of its decorative effect. The rope cable around the shank of the anchor gives a pleasing finish to the stark design of an anchor on its own. |
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Cite this article
"foul." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "foul." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-foul1.html "foul." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-foul1.html |
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foul
foul, an adjective and a verb with various nautical meanings, generally indicative of something wrong or difficult. When used as an adjective a foul hawse is the expression used when a ship lying to two anchors gets its cables crossed; a foul wind is one which, being too much ahead, prevents a sailing ship from laying its desired course. When used as a verb it indicates much the same thing. One vessel can foul another when it drifts down on it, or can foul a ship's hawse by letting go an anchor and cable across that of the other. In a yacht race, a yacht can foul another competitor by touching or hindering her.
See also foul anchor; fouling. |
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Cite this article
"foul." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "foul." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-foul.html "foul." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-foul.html |
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foul
foul foul anchor an anchor that has become entangled with a rope or cable, as the badge of the British Admiralty.
foul one's own nest do something damaging or harmful to oneself or one's own interests. From the proverbial condemnation, current in English since the early 15th century and before that in Latin, of a person who vilifies their own country or family, it is an ill bird that fouls its own nest. foul play criminal or violent behaviour, in particular when resulting in another's death. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "foul." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "foul." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-foul.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "foul." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-foul.html |
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foul
foul adj.
1. (of wind or tide) opposed to one's desired course. 2. (of a rope or anchor) entangled. 3. (of a ship's bottom) overgrown with weed, barnacles, or similar matter. adv. 1. (of a ship) collide with or interfere with the passage of (another). 2. cause (a cable, anchor, or other object) to become entangled or jammed: watch out for driftwood which might foul up the engine. 3. become entangled in this way. |
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Cite this article
"foul." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "foul." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-foul.html "foul." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-foul.html |
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foul
foul grossly offensive to the senses; opp. of clean OE.; opp. of fair ME. OE. fūl = OS., OHG. fūl (Du. vuil dirty, G. faul rotten, unsound, lazy), ON. fúll, Goth. fūls stinking :- Gmc *fūlaz, f. *fū̆- :- IE. *pū̆-, as in L. pūs PUS, putridus PUTRID, etc.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "foul." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "foul." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-foul.html T. F. HOAD. "foul." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-foul.html |
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foul
foul
•afoul, befoul, cowl, foul, fowl, growl, howl, jowl, owl, prowl, Rabaul, scowl, yowl
•gamefowl • peafowl • wildfowl
•moorfowl • waterfowl
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Cite this article
"foul." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "foul." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-foul.html "foul." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-foul.html |
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