'Foil' definitions:

Definition of 'foil'

From: WordNet
noun
A piece of thin and flexible sheet metal; "the photographic film was wrapped in foil"
noun
Anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities; "pretty girls like plain friends as foils" [syn: foil, enhancer]
noun
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" [syn: hydrofoil, foil]
noun
Picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector [syn: foil, transparency]
noun
A light slender flexible sword tipped by a button
verb
Enhance by contrast; "In this picture, the figures are foiled against the background"
verb
Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent" [syn: thwart, queer, spoil, scotch, foil, cross, frustrate, baffle, bilk]
verb
Cover or back with foil; "foil mirrors"

Definition of 'Foil'

From: GCIDE
  • Foil \Foil\ (foil), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Foiled (foild); p. pr. & vb. n. Foiling.] [F. fouler to tread or trample under one's feet, to press, oppress. See Full, v. t.]
  • 1. To tread under foot; to trample. [1913 Webster]
  • King Richard . . . caused the ensigns of Leopold to be pulled down and foiled under foot. --Knoless. [1913 Webster]
  • Whom he did all to pieces breake and foyle, In filthy durt, and left so in the loathely soyle. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To render (an effort or attempt) vain or nugatory; to baffle; to outwit; to balk; to frustrate; to defeat. [1913 Webster]
  • And by ? mortal man at length am foiled. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • Her long locks that foil the painter's power. --Byron. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To blunt; to dull; to spoil; as, to foil the scent in chase. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Foil'

From: GCIDE
  • Foil \Foil\, v. t. [See 6th File.] To defile; to soil. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Foil'

From: GCIDE
  • Foil \Foil\, n.
  • 1. Failure of success when on the point of attainment; defeat; frustration; miscarriage. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • Nor e'er was fate so near a foil. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. A blunt weapon used in fencing, resembling a smallsword in the main, but usually lighter and having a button at the point. [1913 Webster]
  • Blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt not. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Isocrates contended with a foil against Demosthenes with a word. --Mitford. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. The track or trail of an animal. [1913 Webster]
  • To run a foil,to lead astray; to puzzle; -- alluding to the habits of some animals of running back over the same track to mislead their pursuers. --Brewer. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Foil'

From: GCIDE
  • Foil \Foil\, n. [OE. foil leaf, OF. foil, fuil, fueil, foille, fueille, F. feuille, fr. L. folium, pl. folia; akin to Gr. ?, and perh. to E. blade. Cf. Foliage, Folio.]
  • 1. A leaf or very thin sheet of metal; as, brass foil; tin foil; gold foil. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Jewelry) A thin leaf of sheet copper silvered and burnished, and afterwards coated with transparent colors mixed with isinglass; -- employed by jewelers to give color or brilliancy to pastes and inferior stones. --Ure. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Anything that serves by contrast of color or quality to adorn or set off another thing to advantage. [1913 Webster]
  • As she a black silk cap on him began To set, for foil of his milk-white to serve. --Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster]
  • Hector has a foil to set him off. --Broome. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. A thin coat of tin, with quicksilver, laid on the back of a looking-glass, to cause reflection. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. (Arch.) The space between the cusps in Gothic architecture; a rounded or leaflike ornament, in windows, niches, etc. A group of foils is called trefoil, quatrefoil, quinquefoil, etc., according to the number of arcs of which it is composed. [1913 Webster]
  • Foil stone, an imitation of a jewel or precious stone. [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'foil'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Foil'