foul play

American  

noun

1. any treacherous or unfair dealing, especially involving murder.

   We feared that he had met with foul play.

2. unfair conduct in a game.

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foul play British  

noun

1. unfair or treacherous conduct esp with violence

2. a violation of the rules in a game or sport

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foul play Idioms  

1. Unfair or treacherous action, especially involving violence. For example, The police suspected he had met with foul play. This term originally was and still is applied to unfair conduct in a sport or game and was being used figuratively by the late 1500s. Shakespeare used it in The Tempest (1:2): “What foul play had we, that we came from thence?”

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Etymology

Origin of foul play

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

Both candidates alleged foul play amid chaotic ballot processing affected by technical glitches and a slow manual vote count.

From The Wall Street Journal

Opinions may be influenced by the injury to Isak but it does not have to be the result of foul play - it can simply be an unfortunate consequence.

From BBC

Officials suspected foul play and began an investigation.

From Los Angeles Times

As with serious foul play, referees have a checklist they go through when assessing a possible elbow.

From BBC

In neither case did security officials find signs of foul play.

From The Wall Street Journal