RUN AFOUL OF Definition & Meaning

run afoul of

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Idioms and Phrases

Also, run foul of . Come into conflict with, as in If you keep parking illegally you'll run afoul of the police . This expression originated in the late 1600s, when it was applied to a vessel colliding or becoming entangled with another vessel, but at the same time it was transferred to non-nautical usage. Both senses remain current.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“Ruling party lawmakers know that they could be called up to the Cabinet anytime, which means they try not to run afoul of the president,” he said.

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The South Africa proposal is but one of several Trump has made that appear to run afoul of the law.

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But attorney Chris Dolan told SFGate that the rules could run afoul of a state law, Civil Code 51, which bars discrimination in California businesses.

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Rep. Robert Garcia has run afoul of Elon Musk and, by extension, the Department of Justice.

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Gen. Rob Bonta’s office cautioned the L.A. hospital that withholding gender-affirming care from transgender youth could run afoul of California law.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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run afoul of

Idioms and Phrases

Example Sentences