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]