Idioms for foul

Origin of foul

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.

SYNONYMS FOR foul

ANTONYMS FOR foul

3, 24 clean.
5, 6 clear.

synonym study for foul

3. See dirty.

OTHER WORDS FROM foul

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH foul

foul fowl

British Dictionary definitions for foul one's nest

See also foul up

Derived forms of foul

foully, adverb

Word Origin for foul

Old English fūl; related to Old Norse fūll, Gothic fūls smelling offensively, Latin pūs pus, Greek puol pus

Idioms and Phrases with foul one's nest (1 of 2)

foul one's nest

Also, foul one's own nest. Hurt one's own interests, as in With his constant complaints about his wife, he's only fouling his own nest. This metaphoric expression transfers a bird's soiling of its nest to human behavior. [Mid-1200s]

Idioms and Phrases with foul one's nest (2 of 2)

foul