Foil

Pronunciation

• IPA: /fɔɪl/
• Rhymes: -ɔɪl

From Old French fueille ("plant leaf"), from Latin folia, the plural of folium, mistaken as a singular feminine.

Full definition of foil

Noun

1. A very thin sheet of metal.
2. (uncountable) Thin aluminium/aluminum (or, formerly, tin) used for wrapping food.
3. A thin layer of metal put between a jewel and its setting to make it seem more brilliant.
4. (figuratively) In literature, theatre/theater, etc, a character who helps emphasize the traits of the main character.
5. (figuratively) Anything that acts by contrast to emphasise the characteristics of something.
• Sir Philip SidneyAs she a black silk cap on him began
  To set, for foil of his milk-white to serve.
• BroomeHector has a foil to set him off.
6. (fencing) A very thin sword with a blunted (or foiled) tip
• ShakespeareBlunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt not.
• MitfordSocrates contended with a foil against Demosthenes with a sword.
7. A thin, transparent plastic material on which marks are made and projected for the purposes of presentation. See transparency.
8. (heraldiccharge) A stylized flower or leaf.
9. Shortened form of hydrofoil.
10. Shortened form of aerofoil/airfoil.

Synonyms

• (thin aluminium/aluminum) aluminium foil, silver foil, silver paper, tin foil

Derived terms

• aluminum foil
• cinquefoil
• counterfoil
• quatrefoil
• sexfoil
• tin foil
• trefoil

From Middle English foilen ("spoil a scent trail by crossing it"), from Old French fouler ("tread on, trample"), ultimately from Latin fullo ("clothes cleaner, fuller").

Verb

1. To prevent (something) from being accomplished.
2. To prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.
• DrydenAnd by mortal man at length am foiled.
• Byronher long locks that foil the painter's power
• 2011, December 10, David Ornstein, Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton, First, former Toffee Mikel Arteta sent Walcott racing clear but instead of shooting he squared towards Ramsey, who was foiled by Tony Hibbert.
3. To blunt; to dull; to spoil.to foil the scent in hunting
4. (obsolete) To tread underfoot; to trample.
• KnowlesKing Richard ... caused the ensigns of Leopold to be pulled down and foiled under foot.
• SpenserWhom he did all to pieces breake and foyle,
  In filthy durt, and left so in the loathely soyle.

Synonyms

• (prevent from being accomplished) put the kibosh on, scupper, thwart

Noun

1. Failure when on the point of attainment; defeat; frustration; miscarriage.
• DrydenNor e'er was fate so near a foil.

From French foulis.

Noun

1. (hunting) The track of an animal.
• Fielding Tom Jones|VII|iv...but after giving her a dodge, here's another b— follows me upon the foil.

Synonyms

• (track of an animal) spoor

From mnemonic acronym FOIL ("First Outside Inside Last").

Verb

1. (mathematics) To multiply two binomials together.

See file.

Verb

1. (obsolete) To defile; to soil.

Anagrams

• Filo, filo, LIFO, lo-fi