See befoul in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
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"ref": "1894, Hall Caine, The Manxman, London: Heinemann, Part 5, p. 282:",
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"To stain or mar (e.g., with infamy or disgrace)."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "besmirch"
},
{
"word": "sully"
},
{
"word": "tarnish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "assassinate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "asperse"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "backbite"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "badmouth"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "befoul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"dated"
],
"word": "belibel"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "besmirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "besmear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "bewray"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blacken"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "blame"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blaze"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blemish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blur"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "calumniate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "calumny"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"Commonwealth",
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "chat shit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"Ireland",
"UK",
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "chat shite"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "cloud"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "defame"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "demonize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "denigrate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "deprave"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "depreciate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "detract"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "dirty"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "discredit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "disgrace"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "disparage"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "disrepute"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"slang"
],
"word": "diss"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"word": "drag through the mud"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "forgab"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "infamize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "lampoon"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "libel"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "malign"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "monsterize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "muddy"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "reproach"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "revile"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "scandal"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "shit-talk"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"UK",
"slang"
],
"word": "slag"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "slander"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "smear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"archaic",
"figuratively"
],
"word": "smirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "spatter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "spot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "speak ill of"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "stab"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "stain"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "sully"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "talk shit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"UK",
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "talk shite"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"US",
"slang"
],
"word": "talk trash"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "tarnish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "torch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "traduce"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"US",
"slang"
],
"word": "trash-talk"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "unflatter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "vilify"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"dated",
"formal"
],
"word": "vilipend"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "villainize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "wrong"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
]
},
{
"categories": [
{
"_dis": "29 30 24 18",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "27 28 23 22",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms prefixed with be-",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "34 35 17 15",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Entries with translation boxes",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 27 25 21",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with 1 entry",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "26 27 26 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Pages with entries",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "29 30 22 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "28 29 23 21",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "29 30 22 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with German translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "29 30 22 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Korean translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "28 29 23 19",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Latin translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "31 32 21 17",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "30 31 19 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Ottoman Turkish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "28 29 22 21",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Polish translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "27 28 25 20",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "30 31 21 18",
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Russian translations",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To entangle or run against so as to impede motion."
],
"id": "en-befoul-en-verb-he8Z4i4m",
"links": [
[
"entangle",
"entangle"
],
[
"impede",
"impede"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figuratively)",
"To entangle or run against so as to impede motion."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "enmesh"
},
{
"word": "foul"
},
{
"word": "snarl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "enmesh"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "ensnare"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "ensnarl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "entangle"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "implicate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "imply"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "involve"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "mat"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "ravel"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "snarl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "tangle"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/bɪˈfaʊl/"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-befoul.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/7/78/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/7/78/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-aʊl"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"lang_code": "bg",
"roman": "zamǎrsjavam",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "замърсявам"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"lang_code": "cmn",
"roman": "nòngzāng",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "弄脏"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "verzieken"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "bevuilen"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "bezoedelen"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"lang_code": "de",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "verderben"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"lang_code": "ko",
"roman": "deoreophida",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "더럽히다"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"lang_code": "la",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "inquinō"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "brudzić"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"perfective"
],
"word": "ubrudzić"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "kalać"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"perfective"
],
"word": "skalać"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"lang_code": "pt",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "conspurcar"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"lang_code": "ru",
"roman": "zagrjaznjatʹ",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "загрязнять"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "kirlemek",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "كیرلمك"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "pislemek",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "پیسلمك"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "murdarlamak",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "مردارلامق"
},
{
"_dis1": "45 45 7 4",
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "boklamak",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "بوقلامق"
}
],
"word": "befoul"
}
{
"categories": [
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
"English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *puH-",
"English terms prefixed with be-",
"English verbs",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Requests for review of Bulgarian translations",
"Rhymes:English/aʊl",
"Rhymes:English/aʊl/2 syllables",
"Terms with Bulgarian translations",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Korean translations",
"Terms with Latin translations",
"Terms with Mandarin translations",
"Terms with Ottoman Turkish translations",
"Terms with Polish translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Russian translations"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "befouler"
},
{
"word": "befoulment"
},
{
"word": "unbefouled"
}
],
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ine-pro",
"3": "*puH-"
},
"expansion": "",
"name": "root"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "be",
"3": "foul"
},
"expansion": "be- + foul",
"name": "pre"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From be- + foul.",
"forms": [
{
"form": "befouls",
"tags": [
"present",
"singular",
"third-person"
]
},
{
"form": "befouling",
"tags": [
"participle",
"present"
]
},
{
"form": "befouled",
"tags": [
"participle",
"past"
]
},
{
"form": "befouled",
"tags": [
"past"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "befoul (third-person singular simple present befouls, present participle befouling, simple past and past participle befouled)",
"name": "en-verb"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "verb",
"related": [
{
"word": "afoul"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
181,
189
]
],
"ref": "1846, Charles Dickens, “Avignon to Genoa”, in Pictures from Italy, London: […] Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC, page 34:",
"text": "These heights are a desirable retreat, for less picturesque reasons—as an escape from a compound of vile smells perpetually arising from a great harbour full of stagnant water, and befouled by the refuse of innumerable ships with all sorts of cargoes: which, in hot weather, is dreadful in the last degree.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"text": "1897, Robert Gwynneddon Davies (translator), The Sleeping Bard by Ellis Wynne, London: Simplkon, Marshall & Co., Part I,\nAt last, what with a round of blasphemy, and the whole crowd with clay pistols belching smoke and fire and slander of their neighbours, and the floor already befouled with dregs and spittle, I feared lest viler deeds should happen, and craved to depart."
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
106,
114
]
],
"ref": "1983, Mary Stewart, chapter 5, in The Wicked Day, New York: William Morrow, page 53:",
"text": "Only the four walls of his home still stood, blackened and smoking with the sluggish, stinking smoke that befouled the sea-wind.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"text": "1997, Ted Hughes, Tales from Ovid, “Echo and Narcissus” in Paul Keegan (ed.), Ted Hughes: Collected Poems, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003, p. 919,\nThere was a pool of perfect water.\n[…] No cattle\nHad slobbered their muzzles in it\nAnd befouled it."
}
],
"glosses": [
"To make foul; to soil; to contaminate, pollute."
],
"links": [
[
"foul",
"foul"
],
[
"soil",
"soil"
],
[
"contaminate",
"contaminate"
],
[
"pollute",
"pollute"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(literally) To make foul; to soil; to contaminate, pollute."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "befile"
},
{
"word": "befilth"
},
{
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "assoil"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal"
],
"word": "beclart"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "bedaub"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "bedirty"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal"
],
"word": "bedizen"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "befile"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"rare"
],
"word": "befilth"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "befoul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "begrime"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"archaic",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "beray"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"figuratively",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "beshit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "besmear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "besmirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "besully"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"archaic",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "bewray"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "blacken"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "blot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "blur"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "clat"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "contaminate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "darken"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "defile"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"Uganda"
],
"word": "dirten"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "dirty"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"Northern-England",
"Scotland"
],
"word": "elt"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "file"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "foil"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "gunk"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "gunk up"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "inquinate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "scunge"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "sling mud"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "slotter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "slur"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smudge"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smut"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smutch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "soil"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal"
],
"word": "soss"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "sowl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "spot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "stain"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "sullow"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "sully"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "tarnish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "uggle"
}
],
"tags": [
"literally"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
25,
32
]
],
"ref": "1666, George Alsop, A Character of the Province of Mary-Land, London: Peter Dring, Preface:",
"text": "For its an ill Bird will befoule her own Nest […]",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
55,
63
]
],
"ref": "1748, [Tobias Smollett], chapter 12, in The Adventures of Roderick Random. […], volume I, London: […] [William Strahan] for J[ohn] Osborn […], →OCLC, page 91:",
"text": "“[…] But pray what smell is that? Sure your lapdog has befoul’d himself;—let me catch hold of the nasty cur, I’ll teach him better manners.”",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To make foul; to soil; to contaminate, pollute.",
"To defecate on, to soil with excrement."
],
"links": [
[
"foul",
"foul"
],
[
"soil",
"soil"
],
[
"contaminate",
"contaminate"
],
[
"pollute",
"pollute"
],
[
"defecate",
"defecate"
],
[
"excrement",
"excrement"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(literally) To make foul; to soil; to contaminate, pollute.",
"(specifically) To defecate on, to soil with excrement."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "befile"
},
{
"word": "befilth"
},
{
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "assoil"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal"
],
"word": "beclart"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "bedaub"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "bedirty"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal"
],
"word": "bedizen"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "befile"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"rare"
],
"word": "befilth"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "befoul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "begrime"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"archaic",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "beray"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"figuratively",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "beshit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "besmear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "besmirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "besully"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"archaic",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "bewray"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "blacken"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "blot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "blur"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "clat"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "contaminate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "darken"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "defile"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"Uganda"
],
"word": "dirten"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "dirty"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"Northern-England",
"Scotland"
],
"word": "elt"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "file"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "foil"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "gunk"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "gunk up"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "inquinate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "scunge"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "sling mud"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "slotter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "slur"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smudge"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smut"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "smutch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "soil"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal"
],
"word": "soss"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "sowl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "spot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "stain"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "sullow"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "sully"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"word": "tarnish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:dirty",
"tags": [
"UK",
"dialectal",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "uggle"
},
{
"word": "beshit"
},
{
"word": "shit on"
}
],
"tags": [
"literally",
"specifically"
]
},
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations",
"Quotation templates to be cleaned"
],
"examples": [
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
190,
196
]
],
"ref": "1894, Hall Caine, The Manxman, London: Heinemann, Part 5, p. 282:",
"text": "For three days Pete bore himself according to his wont, thinking to silence the evil tongues of the little world about him, and keep sweet and alive the dear name which they were waiting to befoul and destroy.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
64,
70
]
],
"ref": "1923, James Branch Cabell, The High Place, London: John Lane, Part 2, Chapter 15:",
"text": "“[…] you combine a vulgar atheism and an iconoclastic desire to befoul the sacred ideas of the average man or woman, collectively scorned as the bourgeoisie——”",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"bold_text_offsets": [
[
63,
71
]
],
"ref": "1927, Frances Noyes Hart, chapter 5, in The Bellamy Trial, Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Doran & Co., published 1929, page 159:",
"text": "There she sits before you, gentlemen, betrayed by her husband, befouled by every idle tongue that wags […]",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"To stain or mar (e.g., with infamy or disgrace)."
],
"links": [
[
"stain",
"stain"
],
[
"mar",
"mar"
],
[
"infamy",
"infamy"
],
[
"disgrace",
"disgrace"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figuratively)",
"To stain or mar (e.g., with infamy or disgrace)."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "besmirch"
},
{
"word": "sully"
},
{
"word": "tarnish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "assassinate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "asperse"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "backbite"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "badmouth"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "befoul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"dated"
],
"word": "belibel"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "besmirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "besmear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "bewray"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blacken"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "blame"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blaze"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blemish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "blur"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "calumniate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "calumny"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"Commonwealth",
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "chat shit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"Ireland",
"UK",
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "chat shite"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "cloud"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "defame"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "demonize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "denigrate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "deprave"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "depreciate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "detract"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "dirty"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "discredit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "disgrace"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "disparage"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "disrepute"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"slang"
],
"word": "diss"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"idiomatic"
],
"word": "drag through the mud"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "forgab"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "infamize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "lampoon"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "libel"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "malign"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "monsterize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "muddy"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "reproach"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "revile"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "scandal"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "shit-talk"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"UK",
"slang"
],
"word": "slag"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"obsolete"
],
"word": "slander"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "smear"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"archaic",
"figuratively"
],
"word": "smirch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively",
"obsolete"
],
"word": "spatter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "spot"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "speak ill of"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "stab"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "stain"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "sully"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "talk shit"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"UK",
"slang",
"vulgar"
],
"word": "talk shite"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"US",
"slang"
],
"word": "talk trash"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "tarnish"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "torch"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "traduce"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"US",
"slang"
],
"word": "trash-talk"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "unflatter"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "vilify"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"tags": [
"dated",
"formal"
],
"word": "vilipend"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "villainize"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:defame",
"word": "wrong"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"To entangle or run against so as to impede motion."
],
"links": [
[
"entangle",
"entangle"
],
[
"impede",
"impede"
]
],
"raw_glosses": [
"(figuratively)",
"To entangle or run against so as to impede motion."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"word": "enmesh"
},
{
"word": "foul"
},
{
"word": "snarl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "enmesh"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "ensnare"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "ensnarl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "entangle"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "foul"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "implicate"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"archaic"
],
"word": "imply"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"tags": [
"figuratively"
],
"word": "involve"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "mat"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "ravel"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "snarl"
},
{
"source": "Thesaurus:tangle",
"word": "tangle"
}
],
"tags": [
"figuratively"
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/bɪˈfaʊl/"
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-befoul.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/7/78/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/7/78/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-befoul.wav.ogg"
},
{
"rhymes": "-aʊl"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"lang_code": "bg",
"roman": "zamǎrsjavam",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "замърсявам"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"lang_code": "cmn",
"roman": "nòngzāng",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "弄脏"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "verzieken"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "bevuilen"
},
{
"code": "nl",
"lang": "Dutch",
"lang_code": "nl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "bezoedelen"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"lang_code": "de",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "verderben"
},
{
"code": "ko",
"lang": "Korean",
"lang_code": "ko",
"roman": "deoreophida",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "더럽히다"
},
{
"code": "la",
"lang": "Latin",
"lang_code": "la",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "inquinō"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "brudzić"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"perfective"
],
"word": "ubrudzić"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"imperfective"
],
"word": "kalać"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"lang_code": "pl",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"tags": [
"perfective"
],
"word": "skalać"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"lang_code": "pt",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "conspurcar"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"lang_code": "ru",
"roman": "zagrjaznjatʹ",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "загрязнять"
},
{
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "kirlemek",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "كیرلمك"
},
{
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "pislemek",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "پیسلمك"
},
{
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "murdarlamak",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "مردارلامق"
},
{
"code": "ota",
"lang": "Ottoman Turkish",
"lang_code": "ota",
"roman": "boklamak",
"sense": "to make foul, to soil",
"word": "بوقلامق"
}
],
"word": "befoul"
}
Download raw JSONL data for befoul meaning in English (19.4kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-02-14 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-02-01 using wiktextract (f492ef9 and 59dc20b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.