The idiom "foul play" means dishonest or illegal behavior that is intended to harm someone or cheat them. It is often used to describe a situation where something bad has happened, and there is a suspicion that someone has done something wrong.
For example, if a person dies in suspicious circumstances, and there is evidence that someone might have caused their death, you could say that there was "foul play" involved. Similarly, if a sports team wins a game because they cheated, you could say that they won through "foul play."
In general, "foul play" is used to describe situations where there is a sense of wrongdoing or injustice. It is often associated with criminal activity, but it can also be used in other contexts where there is a sense that someone has acted unfairly or dishonestly.
Overall, "foul play" is a useful idiom to know because it is commonly used in both informal and formal English. If you hear someone using this phrase, it is important to pay attention to the context to understand what they mean.
• The investigation into the politician's death revealed evidence of foul play, implicating several high-ranking officials in the corruption scandal. (sentence with a more sophisticated vocabulary and a complex structure)
• There have been rumors of foul play in the company's finances, but nothing has been proven yet. (sentence with a more complex structure)
• The referee was accused of foul play after he awarded a controversial penalty kick in the final minutes of the game. (sentence with a higher level of complexity, including a specific example)
• The police are investigating the case as they suspect that there may have been some foul play involved. (slightly more complex sentence)
• The novel is a gripping tale of murder, conspiracy, and foul play that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. (sentence with a complex structure and a literary tone)
• I don't think there was any foul play during our game of cards. (basic sentence)