Foul is a nautical term meaning to entangle or entwine, and more generally that something is wrong or difficult. The term dates back to usage with wind-driven sailing ships.

Foul anchor

It is usually applied to the state of an

anchor An anchor is a device, normally made of metal , used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ''ancora'', which itself comes from the Greek ἄγ ...

, which has become hooked on some impediment on the seafloor, or has its cable wound round the stock or flukes. The term is generally utilized when speaking of items of historical value such as the

US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...

chief petty officer A chief petty officer (CPO) is a senior non-commissioned officer in many navies and coast guards. Canada "Chief petty officer" refers to two ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy. A chief petty officer 2nd class (CPO2) (''premier maître de deuxi� ...

emblem. The foul anchor is also the official seal of the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom. The position is currently vacant. The seal is flown on the ship carrying the monarch to sea. It is also flown during the launching of a warship of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

. The fouled anchor is also depicted on the emblem of the

U.S. Public Health Service The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services concerned with public health, containing nine out of the department's twelve operating divisions. The Assistant ...

. Ships would display a fouled anchor to indicate to officers on shore that sick persons were on board, prompting further investigation and possible

quarantine A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have been ...

Flag of the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom

Other usage

The term can be applied to many nautical situations: *Foul hawse — when a ship lying to two anchors gets the cables crossed. *Foul bottom — in reference to a seafloor that has poor qualities for securing an anchor, such as hard rocks, coral, wreckage, or other impedents that would make securing or unsecuring an anchor difficult or impossible. Also, in reference to the hull of ship that is so encrusted with weeds and marine growth as to impede her progress. *Foul wind — when a strong head wind prevents a sailing ship from keeping her desired course. *Foul deck — on an aircraft carrier, when the deck is occupied by aircraft, thus preventing other aircraft from landing. *Foul propeller (or foul prop) — a propeller which has become tangled with a rope/cable/line, or (generally on smaller propellers) weeds *Foul weather - any weather condition deemed hostile to sailors' vessel or comfort; encompasses heavy winds, rains, etc.

References

* Nautical terminology {{navy-stub