afoul


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fall (a)foul

To become disliked or to come in conflict with due to one's actions, often resulting in further trouble or conflict. Used in the phrase "fall (a)foul of (someone or something)." Since you're new here, be careful not to fall afoul of Bill—he'll keep you off of every case if he's mad at you. I fell foul of the committee, and now, I'm not sure how to improve my reputation.
See also: fall

run afoul of (someone or something)

To be in severe disagreement, trouble, or difficulty with someone or something; to be at odds with someone or something, especially due to disobeying rules or laws. Always look into the laws of any place you visit, or you may end up unwittingly running afoul of the local police. Ms. Banks has run afoul of this university for the last time. She is no longer welcome here!
See also: afoul, of, run

fall (a)foul of (someone or something)

To become disliked or to come in conflict with someone or something due to one's actions, often resulting in further trouble or conflict. Since you're new here, be careful not to fall afoul of Bill—he'll keep you off of every case if he's mad at you. I fell foul of the committee, and now I'm not sure how to improve my reputation. Ted fell afoul of the law when he was still a kid, and he's been in and out of jail ever since.
See also: fall, of

run afoul of

Also, run foul of. Come into conflict with, as in If you keep parking illegally you'll run afoul of the police. This expression originated in the late 1600s, when it was applied to a vessel colliding or becoming entangled with another vessel, but at the same time it was transferred to non-nautical usage. Both senses remain current.
See also: afoul, of, run
References in periodicals archive ?
Notice that these arguments do not suggest simply that Blaine amendments might run afoul of the U.
The neutrality principle: the Supreme Court will soon reconsider Washington State's revoking of Joshua Davey's college scholarship after he decided to major in theology. Will its decision render the Blaine amendments, provisions of state constitutions that prohibit aid to religious schools, unconstitutional?
In TEI's view, the IRS's interpretation runs afoul of congressional intent in enacting section 6621(d).
TEI comments on clarification of interest netting rules
Fortunately for the consumer, the deal ran afoul of federal antitrust laws and Microsoft was forced to compete with Intuit rather than gobble it whole.
Battle of the titans
That attitude sometimes ran him afoul of direct action groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
A PRAGMATIC FIGHTER FOR ANIMALS: HENRY SPIRA, 1927-1998
Because of the real danger of running afoul of the IRS, potential donors are being scared away.
Kickoff
The group added that the bill runs afoul of church-state separation because it relies on one particular religious doctrine in declaring that life begins at the moment of fertilization.
AU opposes S.C. legislation on when life begins
Turnbo (Toles-Bey), a motor- mouthed hustler, makes a point of knowing everybody's business, which runs him afoul of Youngblood and vice versa.
WILSON'S 'JITNEY' BRINGS POWERFUL PERFORMANCES
Instead, he runs afoul of a corrupt cop, a boys' home, and a bully, but he makes friends with another orphan.
Key, Watt. Alabama moon
Software developers would have to prove to wary investors and the courts that their applications don't fall afoul of copyright's secondary liability rule.
File-sharing ruling sends unclear message
Where they ran afoul of the law was in remodeling their home and subsequently offering rooms for rent.
Free to B&B: Seattle's zoning tyrants
Yet Green Day have fallen afoul of corporate media with their hit single "American Idiot," with certain stations censoring the couplet "Maybe I am the faggot America / I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Green Day dawns anew: Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong talks about the band's political and provocative new opus, American Idiot
In many cases private annuities are an excellent vehicle to transfer assets to a related party and not run afoul of the Medicaid eligibility rules.
Private annuities can aid Medicaid eligibility: planning today for later years
While residing there, family member A presumably ran afoul of the law; A was placed on probation and spent one year at a rehabilitation facility.
Neighbors' hostility allowed reduced exclusion on residence sale gain
According to Martin, "any group that falls afoul of Beijing can easily be quashed under Hong Kong's new law.
Chinese omens. (Insider Report)
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