foil

1
[ foil ]
See synonyms for: foilfoiledfoilingfoils on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to prevent the success of; frustrate; balk: Loyal troops foiled his attempt to overthrow the government.

  2. to keep (a person) from succeeding in an enterprise, plan, etc.

noun
  1. Archaic. a defeat; check; repulse.

Origin of foil

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English foilen, fuylen “to trample, oppress, torment, mortify (the flesh),” irregular variant of fullen “to trample, full (cloth),” from Anglo-French foller, Old French fuler, from Vulgar Latin fullāre, from Latin fullō “fuller, launderer”; see full2

Other words for foil

Other words from foil

  • foil·a·ble, adjective
  • un·foil·a·ble, adjective

Words Nearby foil

Other definitions for foil (2 of 3)

foil2
[ foil ]

noun
  1. metal in the form of very thin sheets: aluminum foil.

  2. the metallic backing applied to glass to form a mirror.

  1. a thin layer of metal placed under a gem in a closed setting to improve its color or brilliancy.

  2. a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast: The straight man was an able foil to the comic.

  3. Architecture. an arc or a rounded space between cusps, as in the tracery of a window or other ornamentation.

verb (used with object)
  1. to cover or back with foil.

  2. to set off by contrast.

Origin of foil

2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English foil, foille “leaf (of a plant or a book),” from Old French fuelle, fueille, foille (from Latin folia “leaves,” reinterpreted as a feminine singular noun) and from Old French fuel, fueil, foil (from Latin folium “leaf of a plant, blade”)

Other words for foil

Other definitions for foil (3 of 3)

foil3
[ foil ]

nounFencing.
  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.

Origin of foil

3
First recorded in 1585–95; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use foil in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for foil (1 of 3)

foil1

/ (fɔɪl) /


verb(tr)
  1. to baffle or frustrate (a person, attempt, etc)

  2. 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

  1. archaic to repulse or defeat (an attack or assailant)

noun
  1. hunting any scent that obscures the trail left by a hunted animal

  2. archaic a setback or defeat

Origin of foil

1
C13 foilen to trample, from Old French fouler, from Old French fuler tread down, full ²

Derived forms of foil

  • foilable, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for foil (2 of 3)

foil2

/ (fɔɪl) /


noun
  1. metal in the form of very thin sheets: gold foil; tin foil

  2. the thin metallic sheet forming the backing of a mirror

  1. a thin leaf of shiny metal set under a gemstone to add brightness or colour

  2. a person or thing that gives contrast to another

  3. architect a small arc between cusps, esp as used in Gothic window tracery

  4. short for aerofoil, hydrofoil

verb(tr)
  1. to back or cover with foil

  2. Also: foliate architect to ornament (windows) with foils

Origin of foil

2
C14: from Old French foille, from Latin folia leaves, plural of folium

British Dictionary definitions for foil (3 of 3)

foil3

/ (fɔɪl) /


noun
  1. a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button and usually having a bell-shaped guard

Origin of foil

3
C16: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012