foul-up

[ foul-uhp ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a condition of difficulty or disorder brought on by inefficiency, stupidity, etc.
2. failure of a mechanical part to operate correctly.
3. a person who habitually makes mistakes; bungler.

foul up

verb

1. tr to bungle; mismanage
2. tr to make dirty; contaminate
3. to be or cause to be blocked, choked, or entangled

noun

1. a state of confusion or muddle caused by bungling

Word History and Origins

Origin of foul-up¹

1950–55, Americanism; noun use of verb phrase foul up

Idioms and Phrases

Blunder or cause to blunder; botch, ruin. For example, He's fouled up this report, but I think we can fix it , or Our plans were fouled up by the bad weather . This expression is widely believed to have originated as a euphemism for fuck up . [ Colloquial ; c. 1940]

Example Sentences

Lauper accidentally prolonged the recording session because her jangling jewelry fouled up the recording, while Prince, who was at a Mexican restaurant on the Sunset Strip, offered to do an isolated guitar solo.

From Seattle Times

She was on the phone with the DMV and got some help, only to have things get fouled up again.

From Los Angeles Times

“If I see a chance to get a foul, an opportunity when we are in the bonus, I’m gonna do my job and pick those fouls up,” Powell said.

From Los Angeles Times

This New Year’s Day column is normally my annual exercise in humility, a look back at where I fouled up during the year that just ended.

From Los Angeles Times

What we want to do here is foul up the hard drive platters, the spinning discs that our data is meticulously placed upon.

From Washington Post