fall foul
fall foul · falls foul · fell foul · fallen foul · falling foul
To be defeated or thwartedTo be defeated or thwarted (by); to suffer (+ of)
» Tom didn't want to fall foul of his teacher's wrath, so he stayed quiet in lessons.
Meaning
2 senses(idiomatic)To be defeated or thwarted (by); to suffer (+ of)
(archaic, idiomatic)To collide; to conflict with; to attack (+ on, of, upon)
Examples
1 sentencesTom didn't want to fall foul of his teacher's wrath, so he stayed quiet in lessons.
Forms
falls foul, falling foul, fell foul, fallen foul| Base form | fall foul · to fall foul |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | falls foul |
| Present participle | falling foul |
| Past simple | fell foul |
| Past participle | fallen foul |
irregular · Lesson
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle