en
foul play
/ˌfaʊl ˈpleɪ/
Definition
1
Unfair, dishonest, or treacherous conduct, especially involving deception or violence.
2
Criminal activity or foul means, often suspected in cases of suspicious death or accident.
Examples
The detective's hunch about foul play proved right when the 'accidental' fall revealed a hidden trapdoor.
In the boardroom battle, whispers of foul play arose after the rival's coffee mysteriously tasted like defeat.
The soccer match ended in chaos, with fans chanting 'foul play' over a referee's blink-and-you-miss-it call.
Grandma's pie vanished from the fridge; we all suspected foul play by the neighborhood squirrels with their tiny balaclavas.