ran a foul

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ran a foul" is not correct in standard English; the correct expression is "ran afoul." You can use it to describe a situation where someone encounters trouble or conflict, often with rules or authority.
Example: "The company ran afoul of regulations when it failed to comply with safety standards."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I ran, a foul?

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

About 50 miles away in Sheberghan -- inside a palace decorated with baby pink and blue tiles and surrounded by a rose garden and peacocks -- he runs a foul and dilapidated prison where he kept about 800 Pakistani Taliban fighters captured in the battle for Kunduz last November.

The New York Times - Magazine

That said the deciding goal again, that's the second game running a foul on the far side - a blatant foul - leads up to the goal.

BBC

As Mike explained in his post, this runs a foul of how 99.9% of venture-funded startups' employment contracts are structured in the Valley.

TechCrunch

He did not know he was running into a foul heart break.

The New York Times - Arts

Instead, using spectacles with a hidden tiny camera, Hsiao-Hung Pai went undercover in a north London brothel run by a foul-mouthed Chinese tyrant called Mary.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

He found open teammates for bounce passes on the run, and even helped draw a foul call with a bit of theatricality.

The New York Times - Sports

EchoStar's $32 billion all-share bid may dislodge a lower offer from News Corp but runs a risk of falling foul of America's antitrust authorities.Cisco Systems, a network-equipment firm and technology bellwether, revealed that sales had plummeted in the latest quarter by 25% and that it had made a profit of a paltry $7m.

The Economist

His left-footed strike gave Spurs the lead on the hour and when his solo run drew a foul from Djibril Paye, Defoe secured Tottenham's progress from Group K with a penalty.

BBC

When Adu's darting run drew a foul about 30 yards out, Donovan caught Barbados goalkeeper Alvin Rouse trying to line up his wall.

The New York Times - Sports

In his next at-bat, in the eighth inning, Martinez swung healthily, seeming to just barely miss another home run a couple of times, fouling the ball to the right side -- before hitting another homer, his ninth of the year.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "ran a foul". Instead, use the correct idiomatic expression "ran afoul of" when you mean to say that someone encountered problems or conflicts with rules or authority. If writing about sports, use "committed a foul" or "drew a foul".

Common error

Be careful not to confuse "ran a foul" with the correct phrase "ran afoul of". "Afoul" means 'in conflict or collision', while "foul" refers to something unpleasant or a violation of rules in sports. Ensure you use the correct word to convey your intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ran a foul" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the correct expression is "ran afoul." This is used to indicate that someone has encountered problems or conflict, especially with rules or authority. However, the individual words in the phrase can be used in separate valid contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "ran a foul" is grammatically incorrect; the proper idiom is "ran afoul of". This phrase is used to describe encountering problems or conflicts, particularly with rules or authority. Ludwig AI flags the original query as incorrect, suggesting the use of "ran afoul of" instead. While some occurrences of "ran a foul" can be found, especially in News & Media and Wiki contexts, it's best to use the grammatically correct alternative to avoid confusion. Remember to choose more appropriate expressions like "ran afoul of" when referring to conflicts or "committed a foul" in a sports context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ran afoul of

Corrects the grammatical error in the original phrase while maintaining the meaning of encountering problems or conflicts.

incurred a penalty

Focuses on the consequence of violating a rule, particularly in a sports context.

committed a violation

Highlights the act of breaking a rule or law, emphasizing the transgression itself.

violated regulations

Specifically refers to breaking established rules or guidelines, often in a formal setting.

transgressed rules

Similar to violated regulations, but with a slightly more formal tone.

drew a foul

Describes the action of causing an opponent to commit a foul, typically in sports.

committed a foul

Focuses on the action of performing a foul, typically in sports context.

encountered difficulties

Broader term for facing problems, without specifying the cause.

faced repercussions

Emphasizes the negative consequences that follow an action.

got into trouble

An informal way of saying someone experienced problems or difficulties.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "ran a foul"?

The correct idiomatic expression is "ran afoul of", which means to come into conflict with or encounter problems.

Is "ran a foul" grammatically correct?

No, "ran a foul" is not grammatically correct. The correct phrase is "ran afoul of". Using "foul" in this context is incorrect.

What does "ran afoul of" mean?

Ran afoul of means to come into conflict with something, such as a law, regulation, or authority. It implies encountering trouble or negative consequences as a result of one's actions.

Can "ran a foul" be used in a sports context?

While "ran a foul" is not a standard phrase, in a sports context, it would be more appropriate to say "committed a foul" or "drew a foul". For example, "The player "drew a foul" inside the box."