foul

fall (a)foul of someone or something and run (a)foul of someone or something

to get into a situation where one is opposed to someone or something; to get into trouble with someone or something. Dan fell afoul of the law at an early age. I hope that you will avoid falling afoul of the district manager. She can be a formidable enemy. I hope I don't run afoul of your sister. She doesn't like me.

See also: fall

foul someone or something up

to cause disorder and confusion for someone or something; to tangle up someone or something; to mess someone or something up. Go away! Don't foul me up any more. You've fouled up my whole day. Watch out! You're going to foul up my kite strings.

See also: up

foul one's own nest

Fig. to harm one's own interests; to bring disadvantage upon oneself. (Alludes to a bird excreting into its own nest. See also It's an ill bird that fouls its own nest.) He tried to discredit a fellow senator with the president, but just succeeded in fouling his own nest. The boss really dislikes Mary. She certainly fouled her own nest when she spread those rumors about him.

See also: nest

foul out (of something)

[for a basketball player] to be forced out of a game because of having too many fouls. The center fouled out in the first fifteen minutes. Two other players fouled out soon after.

See also: out

foul play

illegal activity; bad practices. The police investigating the death suspect foul play. Each student got an A on the test, and the teacher imagined it was the result of foul play.

See also: play

foul up

to blunder; to mess up. Please don't foul up this time. The quarterback fouled up in the first quarter, and that lost us the game.

See also: up

fouled up

messed up; ruined; tangled up. (Usually as fouled-up when attributive.) This is sure a fouled-up mess. You sure are fouled up, you know.

See also: up

It's an ill bird that fouls its own nest.

Prov. Only a foolish or dishonorable person would bring dishonor to his or her self or his or her surroundings.; Only a bad person would ruin the place where he or she lives. (See also foul one's own nest.) I don't like my new neighbor. Not only does he never mow his lawn, he covers it with all kinds of trash. It's an ill bird that fouls its own nest.

See also: bird, ill, nest

use foul language

Euph. to swear. There's no need to use foul language. When she gets angry, she tends to use foul language.

See also: language, use

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by fair means or foul

if you try to achieve something by fair means or foul, you use any method you can to achieve it, even if it is not honest or fair He was determined to become senator, by fair means or foul.

See also: fair, mean

fall foul of somebody

to upset someone, so that they do not like you and try to harm you Officials who fall foul of the mayor find themselves exiled to the most boring departments.

See also: fall

fall foul of something   (slightly formal)

to break a law or a rule, and often be punished If their market share grows too large, they will fall foul of anti-monopoly laws.

See also: fall

foul play 

1. actions which are not fair or honest A virus wiped out all our computer-held records. We suspect foul play on the part of an ex-employee.

2. murder It's not clear why the man drowned, but the police haven't ruled out foul play.

See fall foul of, fall foul of

See also: play

foul-mouthed

someone who is foul-mouthed swears a lot He was foul-mouthed and violent.

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foul up

to make a mistake I'm sorry, I fouled up - I meant to send the last message just to Frank, not the whole group.

See also: up

foul up something also foul something up

1. to spoil something by making a mistake or doing something stupid It takes the same amount of time to do things right as to foul them up.

2. to damage a machine or system Too much aspirin can really foul up your stomach.

See also: up

no harm, no foul

there is no problem if no serious damage was done In his excitement, he deleted all the files, but they were restored later from a backup copy - no harm, no foul.

Etymology: from the use of this phrase in basketball (a sport) to say that if an action that is against the rules has no effect on the results of the game, there should be no foul (punishment)