English adjective: foul | |||
1. | foul highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust | ||
Samples | A disgusting smell. Distasteful language. A loathsome disease. The idea of eating meat is repellent to me. Revolting food. A wicked stench. | ||
Synonyms | disgustful, disgusting, distasteful, loathly, loathsome, repellant, repellent, repelling, revolting, skanky, wicked, yucky | ||
Similar | offensive | ||
Antonyms | inoffensive | ||
2. | foul offensively malodorous | ||
Samples | A foul odor. The kitchen smelled really funky. | ||
Synonyms | fetid, foetid, foul-smelling, funky, ill-scented, noisome, smelly, stinking | ||
Similar | ill-smelling, malodorous, malodourous, stinky, unpleasant-smelling | ||
Antonyms | fragrant | ||
3. | foul violating accepted standards or rules | ||
Samples | A dirty fighter. Used foul means to gain power. A nasty unsporting serve. Fined for unsportsmanlike behavior. | ||
Synonyms | cheating, dirty, unsporting, unsportsmanlike | ||
Similar | unfair, unjust | ||
Antonyms | fair, just | ||
4. | foul (of a baseball) not hit between the foul lines | ||
Similar | out-of-bounds | ||
Domain category | baseball, baseball game | ||
Antonyms | fair | ||
5. | foul (of a manuscript) defaced with changes | ||
Samples | Foul (or dirty) copy. | ||
Synonyms | dirty, marked-up | ||
Similar | illegible | ||
Antonyms | legible | ||
6. | foul characterized by obscenity | ||
Samples | Had a filthy mouth. Foul language. Smutty jokes. | ||
Synonyms | cruddy, filthy, nasty, smutty | ||
Similar | dirty | ||
Antonyms | unobjectionable, clean | ||
7. | foul disgustingly dirty; filled or smeared with offensive matter | ||
Samples | As filthy as a pigsty. A foul pond. A nasty pigsty of a room. | ||
Synonyms | filthy, nasty | ||
Similar | dirty, soiled, unclean | ||
Antonyms | clean | ||
8. | foul especially of a ship's lines etc | ||
Samples | With its sails afoul. A foul anchor. | ||
Synonyms | afoul, fouled | ||
Similar | tangled | ||
Antonyms | untangled | ||
English noun: foul | |||
1. | foul (act) an act that violates the rules of a sport | ||
Broader (hypernym) | infringement, violation | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | foul ball, personal foul, technical, technical foul | ||
Domain category | athletics, sport | ||
English verb: foul | |||
1. | foul (competition) hit a foul ball | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | hit | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | foul out | ||
Domain category | baseball, baseball game | ||
2. | foul (change) make impure | ||
Samples | The industrial wastes polluted the lake. | ||
Synonyms | contaminate, pollute | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | begrime, bemire, colly, dirty, grime, soil | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | infect, taint | ||
3. | foul (contact) become or cause to become obstructed | ||
Samples | The leaves clog our drains in the Fall. The water pipe is backed up. | ||
Synonyms | back up, choke, choke off, clog, clog up, congest | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s. Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | block, close up, impede, jam, obstruct, obturate, occlude | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | block, choke up, crap up, gum up, lug, silt, silt up, stuff | ||
Antonyms | unclog | ||
4. | foul (competition) commit a foul; break the rules | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | play | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | hack, hack | ||
5. | foul (change) spot, stain, or pollute | ||
Samples | The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it. | ||
Synonyms | befoul, defile, maculate | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody. Something ----s somebody. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | attaint, disgrace, dishonor, dishonour, shame | ||
6. | foul (change) make unclean | ||
Samples | Foul the water. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | begrime, bemire, colly, dirty, grime, soil | ||
7. | foul (change) become soiled and dirty | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | change | ||