Foul (Verb)
Meaning 1
Become or cause to become obstructed; "The leaves clog our drains in the Fall"; "The water pipe is backed up".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Meaning 2
Spot, stain, or pollute; "The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Make unclean; "foul the water".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
Commit a foul; break the rules.
Classification
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities.
Related Words
Meaning 6
Make impure; "The industrial wastes polluted the lake".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The chemical plant's emissions began to foul the air and water in the surrounding neighborhoods.
- Runoff from the farm's fertilizers and pesticides fouled the nearby stream.
- Human waste and garbage foul the water supply for thousands of people every year.
- High levels of heavy metals foul the soil, making it impossible to grow crops.
- Illegal dumping in the forest fouls the ground, threatening the local ecosystem.
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Meaning 7
Become soiled and dirty.
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- The polluted river began to foul the nearby coastal area with toxic waste.
- The mechanic's uniform would likely foul after a long day of working under the hood.
- If you put on the sweater for too long the delicate lace surrounding the collar would foul.
- The hiking boots were about to foul as she slipped through a muddy patch on the trail.
- As food scraps piled up the kitchen floor would foul if not cleaned immediately.