different between improper vs foul
improper
English
Alternative forms
- impropre (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle French impropre, from Latin improprius (“not proper”), from in- + proprius (“proper”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /?m?p??p.?/
- (General Australian) IPA(key): /?m?p??p.?/
- (General American) IPA(key): /?m?p??.p?/
- Rhymes: -?p?(?)
Adjective
improper (comparative more improper, superlative most improper)
- unsuitable to needs or circumstances; inappropriate; inapt
- Not in keeping with conventional mores or good manners; indecent or immodest
- Not according to facts; inaccurate or erroneous
- Not consistent with established facts; incorrect
- Not properly named; See, for example, improper fraction
- (obsolete) Not specific or appropriate to individuals; general; common.
- 1608, John Fletcher The Faithful Shepherdess
- Not to be adorned with any art but such improper ones as nature is said to bestow, as singing and poetry.
- 1608, John Fletcher The Faithful Shepherdess
Synonyms
- unproper (obsolete or rare)
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
improper (third-person singular simple present impropers, present participle impropering, simple past and past participle impropered)
- (obsolete, transitive) To appropriate; to limit.
- 1565, John Jewel, letter to Thomas Harding
- He would in like manner improper and inclose the sunbeams to comfort the rich and not the poor.
- 1565, John Jewel, letter to Thomas Harding
- (obsolete) To behave improperly
Anagrams
- impropre
improper From the web:
- what improper fraction
- what improper fraction is equal to 1/2
- what improper fraction is equal to 3
- what improper fraction equal to 2(1/4)
- what improper fraction is equal to 323
- what improper means
- what improper fraction is equivalent to 3
foul
English
Pronunciation
- enPR: foul, IPA(key): /fa?l/
- Rhymes: -a?l
- Homophone: fowl
- Rhymes: -a??l
Etymology 1
From Middle English foul, from Old English f?l (“foul, unclean, impure, vile, corrupt, rotten, guilty”), from Proto-Germanic *f?laz (“foul, rotten”), from Proto-Indo-European *puH- (“to rot”). Cognate with Dutch vuil (“foul”), German faul (“rotten, putrid”), Danish and Swedish ful (“foul”), and through Indo-European, with Albanian fëlliq (“to make dirty”), Latin puter (“rotten”). More at putrid.
Ancient Greek ?????? (phaûlos, “bad”) is a false cognate inasmuch as it is not from the same etymon, instead being cognate to few.
Adjective
foul (comparative fouler, superlative foulest)
- Covered with, or containing unclean matter; dirty.
- (of words or a way of speaking) obscene, vulgar or abusive.
- Detestable, unpleasant, loathsome.
- c. 1610-11, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act II scene ii[1]:
- […] Hast thou forgot / The foul witch Sycorax, who with age and envy / Was grown into a hoop? Hast thou forgot her?
- c. 1610-11, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act II scene ii[1]:
- Disgusting, repulsive; causing disgust.
- (obsolete) Ugly; homely; poor.
- (of the weather) Unpleasant, stormy or rainy.
- Dishonest or not conforming to the established rules and customs of a game, conflict, test, etc.
- (nautical) Entangled and therefore restricting free movement, not clear.
- (baseball) Outside of the base lines; in foul territory.
Usage notes
- Nouns to which "foul" is often applied: play, ball, language, breath, smell, odor, water, weather, deed.
Synonyms
- (hateful, detestable): shameful; odious; wretched
Derived terms
Translations
Etymology 2
From Middle English foulen, fulen, from Old English f?lian (“to become foul; rot; decay”), from Proto-Germanic *f?l?n? (“to rot; decay”).
Verb
foul (third-person singular simple present fouls, present participle fouling, simple past and past participle fouled)
- (transitive) To make dirty.
- to foul the face or hands with mire
- She's fouled her diaper.
- (transitive) To besmirch.
- He's fouled his reputation.
- (transitive) To clog or obstruct.
- (transitive, nautical) To entangle.
- 1941, Emily Carr, Klee Wyck, Chapter 18, [2]
- The Indian's heart was sore for his boat; it looked as if nothing could save her. She was drifting more slowly now, her propeller fouled in kelp.
- The kelp has fouled the prop.
- 1941, Emily Carr, Klee Wyck, Chapter 18, [2]
- (transitive, basketball) To make contact with an opposing player in order to gain advantage.
- Smith fouled him hard.
- (transitive, baseball) To hit outside of the baselines.
- Jones fouled the ball off the facing of the upper deck.
- (intransitive) To become clogged.
- The drain fouled.
- (intransitive) To become entangled.
- The prop fouled on the kelp.
- (intransitive, basketball) To commit a foul.
- Smith fouled within the first minute of the quarter.
- (intransitive, baseball) To hit a ball outside of the baselines.
- Jones fouled for strike one.
Derived terms
- foul one's own nest
Translations
Noun
foul (plural fouls)
- (sports) A breach of the rules of a game, especially one involving inappropriate contact with an opposing player in order to gain an advantage; for example, tripping someone up in soccer, or contact of any kind in basketball.
- (bowling) A (usually accidental) contact between a bowler and the lane before the bowler has released the ball.
- (baseball) A foul ball, a ball which has been hit outside of the base lines.
- Jones hit a foul up over the screen.
Descendants
- ? Russian: ??? (fol)
Translations
See also
- foul fish
Further reading
- foul in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- foul in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- foul at OneLook Dictionary Search
Anagrams
- fluo-
German
Verb
foul
- singular imperative of foulen
- (colloquial) first-person singular present of foulen
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Old French fol.
Noun
foul
- Alternative form of fole (“fool”)
Etymology 2
From Old English fugol.
Noun
foul
- Alternative form of fowel
foul From the web:
- what foul dust preyed on gatsby
- what foul play mean
- what foul means
- what fouls out spark plugs
- what fouls are indirect kicks in soccer
- what fouls are in basketball
- what foul language is in the grinch
- what foul language is in polar express
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