Foul Play

Pronunciation: /faʊl pleɪ/

Definitions of foul play

noun unfair or dishonest behavior, especially in a game or sport

Example Sentences

A1 The detective suspected foul play in the mysterious disappearance of the cat.

A2 The referee suspected foul play when one team suddenly started playing much better.

B1 The insurance company investigated the car accident for any signs of foul play.

B2 The jury deliberated for hours, trying to determine if there was any evidence of foul play in the murder case.

C1 The politician was accused of engaging in foul play to win the election.

C2 The CEO was arrested for suspected foul play in the company's financial dealings.

Examples of foul play in a Sentence

formal The authorities are investigating the possibility of foul play in the suspicious death.

informal I have a feeling there was some foul play involved in that game.

slang I smell foul play in the air, something doesn't seem right.

figurative The politician's sudden change of heart raised suspicions of foul play among the public.

Grammatical Forms of foul play

• past tense: fouled
• plural: foul plays
• comparative: more foul
• superlative: most foul
• present tense: foul play
• future tense: will foul play
• perfect tense: have fouled play
• continuous tense: is fouling play
• singular: foul play
• positive degree: foul
• infinitive: to foul play
• gerund: fouling play
• participle: fouling

Origin and Evolution of foul play

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The term 'foul play' originated in English and is derived from the Middle English word 'foul', meaning morally or physically disgusting, and 'play', referring to conduct or behavior.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe behavior that was morally or physically disgusting, over time 'foul play' came to specifically refer to dishonest or unfair behavior, especially in sports or games. The term is now commonly used to indicate cheating, deception, or criminal activity in general.