run afoul
Get in trouble
To run afoul of something is to come into conflict or collision with it.
Originally nautical—a ship runs afoul of another when they tangle or collide—the phrase now applies to any clash with rules, laws, or authorities: He ran afoul of the IRS, The project ran afoul of zoning regulations.
The older form is fall afoul.
- contraveneAct against a rule
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
- transgressViolate a boundary
- violateBreak a rule deliberately
- cross the lineExceed acceptable boundaries
break the law · go against · breach · entangle · snag · get into trouble · infringe · flout · collide · overstep · clash · butt heads · offend · disobey · infract · conflict · cross paths · antagonize