Foul play
Suggest a CorrectionMeaning
Dishonest, treacherous or criminal conduct; sometimes violence suspected in a death or disappearance. In police reporting it often implies possible criminal violence. In ordinary contexts it can mean cheating or treachery without physical harm. Regional use: English origin; now international English.
Origin
Foul had long contrasted with fair in judgements of conduct, and Merriam-Webster records the noun phrase foul play by 1546, before Shakespeare's career. His later uses therefore cannot establish coinage, while the first known record does not identify who created the expression. Current English applies the phrase especially to criminal violence or suspicious death and to unfair or prohibited conduct in sport.
Research Sources
Variants
- Suspect foul play
- No foul play
- Play foul
Usage Examples
- Investigators found no evidence of foul play in the warehouse fire.
- The rival bidder alleged foul play during the scoring process.
- A locked office and missing ledger made the staff suspect foul play.