foul wind
Breeze carrying stink
A foul wind is a wind blowing against a ship's intended direction, making progress difficult or impossible.
Sailors distinguished fair winds from foul ones—the difference between smooth sailing and fighting the elements.
The phrase extends figuratively to any unfavorable circumstance: A foul wind blows through the economy.
- headwindWind against travel direction
- adverseHarmful or opposed
- crosswindLateral airflow across path
- unfavorableNot in your benefit
- miasmaHarmful atmospheric emanation
stench · rotten egg · stormy · doldrums · breeze · smog · noxious fumes · toxic fumes · exhaust · reek · omen · pestilent · setback · gust · gale · obstruction · bad luck · impediment
odor quality
foul windfresh breeze
Moderate, lively wind
fresh air · sweet breeze · clean air · mountain air · balmy breeze
foul, wind, fouls, fouled, fouling, foully, foulness, fouler, foulest