a foul play

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a foul play" is not correct in English; it should be "foul play" without the article "a." You can use "foul play" to refer to dishonest or illegal behavior, especially in the context of a crime or unfair actions.
Example: "The police are investigating the incident to determine if there was any foul play involved."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

This study was the first to investigate the allocation of point of gaze during a foul play assessment task.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Given the association between the location of visual fixations and decision-making skills in various sports and the fact that the fixation locations have never been investigated during a foul play assessment task, we did expect differences between both groups of referees for fixation location.

Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications

Dan Conn is relentless, just like a bad-ass athlete should be: When he had his nose broken on a foul play, he continued to tackle and was forced onto the sidelines because he was bleeding too much.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Nero Wolfe is a curiously elegant and luminous talker for a foul-play investigator.

The New Yorker

That's why we want to speak to the investigator so we can unDuringnd".

Huffington Post

France international Huget, 27, was seen to perform a dive in an attempt to gain a penalty for foul play.

BBC

"In upholding the citing complaint, the committee found that Farrell had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card," EPCR said, in a statement.

The Guardian - Sport

Leinster extended its lead when referee Nigel Owens ruled that Ulster had stopped a score with foul play and then awarded a penalty try.

The New York Times - Sports

In it, the pair claim the Malaysian Airlines flight ended in the Indian Ocean – and that a conclusion of foul play can be reached via a process of elimination.

Independent

A year after "Foul Play," the director Blake Edwards made him a major movie star in "10".

The New York Times - Arts

In upholding the citing complaint, the committee found that Marler had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the article "a" before "foul play". The correct and widely accepted form is "foul play".

Common error

Writers often mistakenly add the indefinite article "a" before "foul play", likely due to its similarity to countable noun phrases. Always use "foul play" without "a".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a foul play" incorrectly uses an article before the noun phrase. The correct form, according to Ludwig AI, is simply "foul play". When used correctly it functions as a noun referring to criminal or unfair actions, often implying suspicion.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a foul play" appears in some contexts, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies the correct form as "foul play", without the article "a". This phrase is used to suggest dishonest or illegal activity, especially in situations where a crime is suspected. While examples exist across news, media, and scientific sources, it is crucial to use the correct form to maintain grammatical accuracy and credibility. When in doubt, opt for "foul play" and explore alternative phrases like "suspect play" or "unsporting behavior" to convey similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unsporting behavior

Highlights the lack of sportsmanship.

suspect play

Replaces "foul" with "suspect" suggesting something is not right in the play.

unfair practice

Highlights the unjust nature of the action.

illegal tactic

Focuses on the illegality of the action rather than the foul nature.

rule violation

Focuses on the breaking of rules.

cheating

Implies dishonesty to gain an unfair advantage.

improper conduct

Describes a behavior that's inappropriate or against the rules.

dirty trick

Emphasizes the deceptive aspect of the action.

transgression

A more formal way to describe breaking a rule.

act of aggression

Describes a physical or forceful action that violates rules.

FAQs

How do you properly use "foul play" in a sentence?

Use "foul play" without the article "a" when referring to suspicious or criminal activity. For example, "Police suspect foul play in the disappearance".

What does "foul play" mean?

"Foul play" refers to a criminal or violent act, especially when it leads to someone's injury or death. It often implies suspicion of wrongdoing.

Is it correct to say "a foul play"?

No, it is generally considered incorrect to use the article "a" before "foul play". The correct phrase is simply "foul play".

What are some synonyms for "foul play"?

Depending on the context, you could use synonyms like "criminal activity", "suspicious circumstances", or "wrongdoing".