foul play

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   Criminal or violent action, particularly when someone suspects it caused a death or disappearance.

   Grammar: Often used with 'suspect' or 'rule out': police suspect foul play.

   Patterns

   • suspect foul play
   • rule out foul play
   • foul play is suspected

   Police suspect foul play in the man's disappearance.

   There was no evidence of foul play at the scene.

   The detective could not rule out foul play.

2. 2noununcountable

   Unfair or dishonest behavior in a game, competition, or business deal.

   Grammar: In sports it means breaking the rules to gain an advantage.

   Patterns

   • accuse someone of foul play

   The rival team accused them of foul play after the match.

   The referee warned the player for foul play.

Common combinations

suspect foul play

Neighbors suspected foul play.

rule out foul play

Officers ruled out foul play in the fire.

no sign of foul play

There was no sign of foul play.

allege foul play

The losing candidate alleged foul play.

foul play suspected

The report said foul play was suspected.

Synonyms and how they differ

crime

Crime is the plain word for any illegal act, while foul play hints that something sinister may have happened.

cheating

Cheating is about breaking rules for an advantage, and is milder than foul play.

skulduggery

Skulduggery is an old-fashioned, humorous word for sneaky behavior.

dirty play

Dirty play applies mainly to sports, not criminal cases.

Opposites

Word family

foul adjective

unpleasant or unfair

foul noun

an act that breaks the rules in a sport

foul verb

to commit a foul against a player

fair play noun

honest behavior in a competition

Commonly confused: foul play or fowl play?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “foul play”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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