run afoul of
The phrase 'run afoul of' originally described ships getting entangled with obstacles but now broadly refers to conflicts with rules or authorities.
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Definition
C1General
(idiomatic)To violate or come into conflict with a rule, law, or authority.
Example
- Companies that run afoul of environmental regulations face hefty fines.
- He ran afoul of the school's code of conduct.
C2Nautical
(technical)To become entangled with an obstacle, such as another vessel or an underwater hazard.
Example
- The ship ran afoul of a hidden reef, causing significant damage.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "run afoul of":
fall foulrun intorun into onefoul upgo awryrun agroundrun up oncome a cropperstumble againstget into troublehit up againsttrip upcross someone's pathgo againstbump intocome uponquarrel withcome acrossrun against