foul
word
/ˈfaʊɫ/
fowl
/fˈaʊl/
fowl
Definition
Foul can describe something very dirty, disgusting, or having a very bad smell. It can also mean unfair or illegal in sports, or very unpleasant in general.
Usage & Nuances
Common in sports: 'commit a foul', 'foul play'. For smell or dirt, it is stronger than 'dirty' and often suggests disgust: 'a foul odor'. In everyday speech, 'foul' also appears in phrases like 'foul language' and 'foul mood'.
Spanish: sucio - asqueroso - falta (deporte)Portuguese (BR): sujo - nojento - falta (esporte)Portuguese (PT): sujo - nojento - falta (desporto)Chinese (Simplified): 肮脏的 - 难闻的 - 犯规Chinese (Traditional): 骯髒的 - 難聞的 - 犯規Hindi: गंदा - बदबूदार - फाउल (खेल में)Arabic: قذر - كريه الرائحة - خطأ (في الرياضة)Bengali: ঘৃণিত - নোংরা - বাজে (খেলাধুলায় ফাউল)Russian: грязный - отвратительный - фол (в спорте)Japanese: ひどい - 不正（スポーツ） - 汚いVietnamese: bẩn thỉu - hôi thối - phạm lỗi (trong thể thao)Korean: 더러운 - 불쾌한 - 반칙(스포츠)Turkish: pis - iğrenç - faul (spor)Urdu: گندا - فحش - فاؤل (کھیل میں)Indonesian: busuk - kotor - pelanggaran (olahraga)
Example Sentences
There was a foul smell in the room.
basic
The trash smells foul.
basic
The player got a foul in the game.
basic
Something smells foul in the fridge — can you check it?
natural
That was a foul, and everyone in the stadium saw it.
natural
He was in a foul mood all morning, so I left him alone.
natural