afoul

[uh-foul]

adverb

1. in a state of collision or entanglement.

   a ship with its shrouds afoul.

afoul

/ əˈfaʊl /

adverb

1. (usually foll by of) in or into a state of difficulty, confusion, or conflict (with)

2. (often foll by of) in or into an entanglement or collision (with) (often in the phrase run afoul of )

   a yacht with its sails afoul

   the boat ran afoul of a steamer

Word History and Origins

Origin of afoul¹

An Americanism dating back to 1800–10; a- ¹ + foul

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. run / come / fall afoul of,

   1. to become entangled with.

      The boat ran afoul of the seaweed.

   2. to come into conflict with.

      The business had fallen afoul of the new government regulations.

Example Sentences

Keeping the lesser charges in place risked running afoul of state laws that forbid “double jeopardy” or prosecuting a defendant twice for the same alleged crime, the Salehpours said the D.A. explained.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Nevertheless, Hall suggested that the graphics run afoul of a city law barring candidates from using city resources, since the cap-wearing corgi appears both on Mejia’s official city website and on his campaign yard signs.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Visa has warned that the loophole runs afoul of the company’s rules.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Reagan had run afoul of nuclear power’s thorniest problem: radioactive isotopes.

Read more on Literature

Increasingly, U.S. companies are worried that by obeying U.S. laws, they could run afoul of Chinese rules.

Read more on Barron's