foil
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foil 1
(foil)tr.v. foiled, foil·ing, foils
1. To prevent from being successful; thwart: The alarm system foiled the thieves' robbery attempt.
2. To obscure or confuse (a trail or scent) so as to evade pursuers.
n. Archaic
1. A repulse; a setback.
2. The trail or scent of an animal.
[Middle English foilen, to trample, defile, variant of filen, to defile; see file3.]
foil 2
(foil)n.
1. Metal that has been formed into a thin, flexible sheet: aluminum foil.
2. A thin layer of polished metal placed under a displayed gem to lend it brilliance.
3. One that stands in contrast to and emphasizes the distinctive characteristics of another: "I am resolved my husband shall not be a rival, but a foil to me" (Charlotte Brontë).
4. The reflective metal coating on the back of a glass mirror.
5. Architecture A curvilinear, often lobelike figure or space formed between the cusps of intersecting arcs, found especially in Gothic tracery and Moorish ornament.
6.
a. An airfoil.
b. Nautical A hydrofoil.
tr.v. foiled, foil·ing, foils
1. To cover or back with foil.
2. To wrap (strands of hair) in pieces of foil in order to isolate them after bleach or color has been applied.
3. To set off by contrast.
[Middle English, from Old French foille, from Latin folia, pl. of folium, leaf; see bhel- in Indo-European roots.]
foil 3
(foil)n.
1. A fencing sword having a usually circular guard and a thin, flexible four-sided blade with a button on the tip to prevent injury.
2. often foils The art or sport of fencing with such a sword: a contest at foils.
[Origin unknown.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
foil
(fɔɪl)vb (tr)
1. to baffle or frustrate (a person, attempt, etc)
2. (Hunting) hunting (of hounds, hunters, etc) to obliterate the scent left by a hunted animal or (of a hunted animal) to run back over its own trail
3. archaic to repulse or defeat (an attack or assailant)
n
4. (Hunting) hunting any scent that obscures the trail left by a hunted animal
5. archaic a setback or defeat
[C13 foilen to trample, from Old French fouler, from Old French fuler tread down, full2]
ˈfoilable adj
foil
(fɔɪl)n
1. (Metallurgy) metal in the form of very thin sheets: gold foil; tin foil.
2. (Ceramics) the thin metallic sheet forming the backing of a mirror
3. (Jewellery) a thin leaf of shiny metal set under a gemstone to add brightness or colour
4. a person or thing that gives contrast to another
5. (Architecture) architect a small arc between cusps, esp as used in Gothic window tracery
vb (tr)
7. (Metallurgy) to back or cover with foil
8. (Architecture) architect Also: foliate to ornament (windows) with foils
[C14: from Old French foille, from Latin folia leaves, plural of folium]
foil
(fɔɪl)n
(Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button and usually having a bell-shaped guard
[C16: of unknown origin]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
foil1
(fɔɪl)v.t.
1. to prevent the success of; frustrate; thwart.
2. to keep (a person) from succeeding in an enterprise, plan, etc.
n. 3. Archaic. a defeat; check; repulse.
[1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French foller, Old French fuler to trample, full (cloth)]
foil′a•ble, adj.
foil2
(fɔɪl)n.
1. metal in the form of very thin sheets: aluminum foil.
2. the metallic backing applied to glass to form a mirror.
3. a thin layer of metal placed under a gem in a closed setting to improve its color or brilliancy.
4. a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast.
5. an arc or rounded space between cusps.
6. an airfoil or hydrofoil.
v.t. 7. to cover or back with foil.
8. to set off by contrast.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Old French]
foil3
(fɔɪl)n.
1. a flexible four-sided rapier having a blunt point.
2. foils, the art or practice of fencing with this weapon, points being made by touching the trunk of the opponent's body with the tip of the weapon.
[1585–95; orig. uncertain]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
foil
Past participle: foiled
Gerund: foiling
| Imperative |
|---|
| foil |
| foil |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | foil - a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal; "the photographic film was wrapped in foil" chaff - foil in thin strips; ejected into the air as a radar countermeasure gold foil - foil made of gold sheet metal - sheet of metal formed into a thin plate |
| 2. | foil - anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities; "pretty girls like plain friends as foils" attention - a general interest that leads people to want to know more; "She was the center of attention" | |
| 3. |  foil - a device consisting of a flat or curved piece (as a metal plate) so that its surface reacts to the water it is passing through; "the fins of a fish act as hydrofoils"device - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water" | |
| 4. |  foil - picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projectorikon, picture, icon, image - a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface; "they showed us the pictures of their wedding"; "a movie is a series of images projected so rapidly that the eye integrates them" lantern slide, slide - a transparency mounted in a frame; viewed with a slide projector | |
| 5. | foil - a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button fencing - the art or sport of fighting with swords (especially the use of foils or epees or sabres to score points under a set of rules) fencing sword - a sword used in the sport of fencing | |
| Verb | 1. | foil - enhance by contrast; "In this picture, the figures are foiled against the background" counterpoint, contrast - to show differences when compared; be different; "the students contrast considerably in their artistic abilities" |
| 2. |  foil - hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"disappoint, let down - fail to meet the hopes or expectations of; "Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage" foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid - keep from happening or arising; make impossible; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" dash - destroy or break; "dashed ambitions and hopes" short-circuit - hamper the progress of; impede; "short-circuit warm feelings" ruin - destroy or cause to fail; "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election" | |
| 3. | foil - cover or back with foil; "foil mirrors" cover - provide with a covering or cause to be covered; "cover her face with a handkerchief"; "cover the child with a blanket"; "cover the grave with flowers" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
foil
1verb thwart, stop, check, defeat, disappoint, counter, frustrate, hamper, baffle, elude, balk, circumvent, outwit, nullify, checkmate, nip in the bud, put a spoke in (someone's) wheel (Brit.) A brave police chief foiled an armed robbery.
foil
2noun complement, setting, relief, contrast, background, antithesis A cold beer is the perfect foil for a curry.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
foil
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
رُقَاقَةٌ مَعْدِنِيَّةسَيْف أو شيش المبارَزَهصَفيحَه فِضِّيَّهمُقارَنَه تُبْرِز الفرْقيُحْبِط، يُعَطِّل
fóliekontrastní protějšekzmařitfleret
aluminiumsfoliebaggrundfoliekårdeskuffe
folio
folija
fegrandi andstæîaòynnasnúa á, hindrastingsverî
ホイル
포일
folijafonsizjauktkontrastsrapieris
fleuretfóliapravý opak
folie
โลหะแผ่น
lá kim loại
foil
1 [fɔɪl] Nfoil
2 [fɔɪl] N (Fencing) → florete mfoil
3 [fɔɪl] VT (= thwart) [+ person] → desbaratar los planes de; [+ attempt] → frustrarCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
foil
[ˈfɔɪl] vt [+ plan, attempt] → déjouer, contrecarrer
n
(also kitchen foil) → papier m d'alu, papier m d'aluminium
She wrapped the meat in foil → Elle a enveloppé la viande dans du papier d'aluminium. aluminium foil
She wrapped the meat in foil → Elle a enveloppé la viande dans du papier d'aluminium. aluminium foil
(= contrast) → complément m
Black provides the perfect foil for very blonde hair → Le noir apporte le complément parfait à une chevelure très blonde.
A cold beer is the perfect foil for a curry
BUT Une bière froide accompagne parfaitement un curry.
to act as a foil to → servir de repoussoir à, servir de faire-valoir à
Black provides the perfect foil for very blonde hair → Le noir apporte le complément parfait à une chevelure très blonde.
A cold beer is the perfect foil for a curry
BUT Une bière froide accompagne parfaitement un curry.
to act as a foil to → servir de repoussoir à, servir de faire-valoir à
(FENCING) → fleuret m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
foil
1n
(fig) → Hintergrund m, → Folie f; to act as a foil to something → einer Sache (dat) → als Hintergrund or Folie dienen
foil
2n (Fencing) → Florett nt
foil
3vt plans → durchkreuzen; attempts → vereiteln; person → einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen (+dat); foiled again! (hum) → wieder nichts!; he was foiled in his attempts → ihm wurde ein Strich durch die Rechnung gemacht
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
foil
1 [fɔɪl] na. → lamina di metallo (also tinfoil, kitchen foil) → carta stagnola or d'alluminio
to act as a foil to sb/sth (fig) → far risaltare qn/qc
to act as a foil to sb/sth (fig) → far risaltare qn/qc
b. (Fencing) → fioretto
foil
2 [fɔɪl] vt (thief) → fermare; (attempt) → far fallire, sventareCollins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
foil1
(foil) verb to defeat; to disappoint. She was foiled in her attempt to become President.
foil2
(foil) noun1. extremely thin sheets of metal that resemble paper. silver foil.
2. a dull person or thing against which someone or something else seems brighter. She acted as a foil to her beautiful sister.
foil3
(foil) noun a blunt sword with a button at the end, used in the sport of fencing.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
foil
→ رُقَاقَةٌ مَعْدِنِيَّة fólie folie Folie έλασμα lámina de metal folio papier d’aluminium folija foglio di alluminio ホイル 포일 folie folie folia papel de alumínio, papel metálico фольга folie โลหะแผ่น folyo lá kim loại 箔Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009