subs. (nautical and aquatic).—A running into; a running down.
Verb. (idem).—To run against; to run down. Also TO COME (or FALL) FOUL OF.
[FOUL, adj. and verb. is used in two senses: (1) = dirty, as a FOUL word, a FOUL shrew (DICKENS), to FOUL the bed, &c.; and (2) = unfair, as a FOUL (i.e., a felon) stroke, a FOUL blow, and so forth.]
1626. CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH, An Accidence for Young Sea-men, in wks. (ARBER), p. 796. Boord and boord, or thwart the hawse, we are FOULE on each other.
1724. E. COLES, English Dictionary. FOUL, hindred or intangled with another ship’s ropes, &c.
1754. The Connoisseur, No. 3. Which sailed very heavy, were often a-ground, and continually ran FOUL on each other.
1861. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xiii. Their coxswain … had to pull his left hand hard or they would have FOULED the Oxfordshire corner.
1885. Illustrated London News, March 28, p. 316, col. 1. In 1849 there were two races in the course of the year; Cambridge won the first, Oxford the second, on a FOUL (the only time the race has been so won).
1889. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 18 Jan. Dick was done out of the stakes on an appeal of FOUL.
TO FOUL A PLATE WITH, verbal phr. (old, colloquial).—To dine or sup with.—GROSE.
