Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [foul]
- /faʊl/
- /faʊl/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [foul]
- /faʊl/
Definitions of foul word
- adjective foul grossly offensive to the senses; disgustingly loathsome; noisome: a foul smell. 1
- adjective foul containing or characterized by offensive or noisome matter: foul air; foul stagnant water. 1
- adjective foul filthy or dirty, as places, receptacles, clothes, etc. 1
- adjective foul muddy, as a road. 1
- adjective foul clogged or obstructed with foreign matter: a foul gas jet. 1
- adjective foul unfavorable or stormy: foul weather. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of foul
First appearance:
before 900 One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; (adj. and noun) Middle English ful, foul, Old English fūl; cognate with Gothic fuls, Old Norse fūll, Old High German fūl; akin to Latin pūs pus, pūtēre to stink, Greek pýon pus; (adv.) Middle English fule, foule, derivative of the adj.; (v.) Middle English fulen, derivative of the adj.
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Foul
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
foul popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 96% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
foul usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for foul
verb foul
- clog — When something clogs a hole or place, it blocks it so that nothing can pass through.
- pollute — to make foul or unclean, especially with harmful chemical or waste products; dirty: to pollute the air with smoke.
- choke — When you choke or when something chokes you, you cannot breathe properly or get enough air into your lungs.
- twist — to combine, as two or more strands or threads, by winding together; intertwine.
- contaminate — If something is contaminated by dirt, chemicals, or radiation, they make it dirty or harmful.
noun foul
- infraction — breach; violation; infringement: an infraction of the rules.
- breach — If you breach an agreement, a law, or a promise, you break it.
- error — A mistake.
- infringement — a breach or infraction, as of a law, right, or obligation; violation; transgression.
- offense — a violation or breaking of a social or moral rule; transgression; sin.
adverb foul
adjective foul
- unpleasant — not pleasant; displeasing; disagreeable; offensive: an unpleasant taste; an unpleasant situation; an unpleasant manner.
- disgusting — causing disgust; offensive to the physical, moral, or aesthetic taste.
- offensive — causing resentful displeasure; highly irritating, angering, or annoying: offensive television commercials.
- distasteful — unpleasant, offensive, or causing dislike: a distasteful chore.
- filthy — foul with, characterized by, or having the nature of filth; disgustingly or completely dirty.
Antonyms for foul
verb foul
- unblock — to remove a block or obstruction from: to unblock a channel; to unblock a person's credit.
- clean — Something that is clean is free from dirt or unwanted marks.
- purify — to make pure; free from anything that debases, pollutes, adulterates, or contaminates: to purify metals.
- release — to lease again.
- honor — honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: a man of honor.
noun foul
- obedience — the state or quality of being obedient.
adjective foul
- pleasant — pleasing, agreeable, or enjoyable; giving pleasure: pleasant news.
- aiding — to provide support for or relief to; help: to aid the homeless victims of the fire.
- assisting — to give support or aid to; help: Please assist him in moving the furniture.
- decent — Decent is used to describe something which is considered to be of an acceptable standard or quality.
- fresh — newly made or obtained: fresh footprints.
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