Afoul
/əˈfaʊl/ adv
adv ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 especially of a ship's lines etc wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In a state of collision or entanglement. archaic
"The ships’ lines and sails were all afoul."
- 2 In a state of entanglement or conflict (with). with-of
"He had a knack for running afoul of the law."
Example
More examples"And now I will tell how it came about that Robin Hood fell afoul of the law."
Etymology
From a- + foul.