foul用作动词的基本意思是“使污秽,弄脏”,指被具有极大危害性或非常令人厌恶的事物所污染或玷污,强调使污秽,使下流,可用于具体的东西,也可用于抽象事物。引申可指“纠缠”“纠结在一起”,在体育用语中则指“犯规”。

foul by (v.+prep.)
▲foul sb/sth by v-ing
1.通过…弄脏 make dirty by (sth or doing sth)
They fouled the river by throwing in garbage.他们向河里倾倒垃圾而污染了河道。
2.〈体〉(对…)犯规 commit a foul (against)
The boxer fouled his opponent by hitting him below the belt.那个拳击手因击打对手腰部以下而犯规。

foul out (v.+adv.)
〈非正〉被罚下场 take no further part in play because of an action against the rules
▲foul out
Two of our players have fouled out.我们已有两名队员被罚下场了。

foul up (v.+adv.)
1.弄脏 make dirty
▲foul sth ⇔ up
The birds fouled up his newly washed car.鸟把他新洗好的车弄脏了。
◇ 用于be ～ed结构
The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。
2.弄糟,搞坏 spoil by mistake or using poor judgement
▲foul sth ⇔ up
When everything is running smoothly, why must he step in and foul thing up?一切正在顺利进行时,为什么他一定要插进去把事情弄糟呢?
3.使降低 make lower
▲foul sth ⇔ up
Nothing could foul up their militant spirit.什么也不能挫伤他们的斗志。
4.缠住,堵塞 chock
▲foul sth ⇔ up
A big truck tried to get into a small parking space and fouled up traffic.一辆试图开进小停车场的大卡车把交通阻塞了。
5.犯错; 走错路,误入歧途 make a mistake; go wrong
▲foul up
Why do some people foul up and become criminals?为什么有些人会走上歧途变成罪犯呢?
Blue suit and brown socks!He had fouled up again.蓝衣服和棕色短袜!他又搞错了。

用作不及物动词
▲S+～(+A)
One pipe has fouled, and the water won't go down.一根水管堵塞了,水流不下去。
Our boat fouls on leaving harbor.我们的船离港时发生了碰撞。
The footballer tried to foul.那个足球运动员试图犯规。
用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
The smoke fouled the air.烟污染了空气。
The rope fouled the anchor chain.绳子与锚链缠在一起。
He was sent off for fouling the other team's goalkeeper.他因对对方守门员犯规而被罚出场。

He was cautioned for a foul on another football player.他因对另一球员犯规而受到警告。
The player was sent off the field because of fouls.这名运动员因屡屡犯规而被罚下场。

［同义词］ adj. bad, dirty, nasty, offensive, rough v. pollute, soil, tangle
［反义词］ adj. clean, fair, mild, modest, pure v. clear, purify
［词源］＜古英语ful(肮脏的)

by fair means or foul
千方百计,不择手段somehow or other; whether by good or evil methods
She's determined to pass the test, by fair means or foul.她决心千方百计的通过考试。

fall〔run〕 foul of
与…冲突〔不一致〕have a confrontation or disagreement with sb/sth
His action ran foul of the law.他的行为与法律相抵触。
By parking your car here, you could fall foul of the law.你把汽车停在这里可能是违法的。

用作定语
▲～+n.
 The house was filled with foul odor.房间里充满了难闻的气味。
I've had a foul morning; everything's gone wrong.我今天早上很不愉快,事事不对劲。
Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
Many were shocked by his foul language.许多人对他那下流的语言感到震惊。
What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气!
Murder is a foul deed.谋杀是件非常丑恶的事。
She has a foul temper, that's why she has so few friends.她脾气暴躁,这就是为什么她朋友那么少的原因。
用作表语
▲S+be+～
 This place is very foul.这地方肮脏不堪。
▲S+be+～+prep.-phrase
 He fell foul of his employer and lost his job.他因触犯老板而丢了工作。
The floor was foul with the dirt of weeks.地板上由于积着几星期的灰尘而很脏。

foul, dirty, filthy, nasty
参见dirty条。