foil1
- to prevent the success of; frustrate; balk: Loyal troops foiled his attempt to overthrow the government.
- to keep (a person) from succeeding in an enterprise, plan, etc.
- Archaic. a defeat; check; repulse.
Origin of foil1
Synonyms
foil1
- to baffle or frustrate (a person, attempt, etc)
- 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
- archaic to repulse or defeat (an attack or assailant)
- hunting any scent that obscures the trail left by a hunted animal
- archaic a setback or defeat
Word Origin
foil2
- metal in the form of very thin sheetsgold foil; tin foil
- the thin metallic sheet forming the backing of a mirror
- a thin leaf of shiny metal set under a gemstone to add brightness or colour
- a person or thing that gives contrast to another
- architect a small arc between cusps, esp as used in Gothic window tracery
- short for aerofoil, hydrofoil
- to back or cover with foil
- Also: foliate architect to ornament (windows) with foils
Word Origin
foil3
- a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button and usually having a bell-shaped guard
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for foilable
foil
v.
c.1300, foilen "to spoil a trace or scent by running over it," irregularly from Old French fouler "trample," from Vulgar Latin *fullare "to clean cloth" (by treading on it), from Latin fullo "one who cleans cloth, fuller," of unknown origin.
Hence, "to overthrow, defeat" (1540s). Sense of "frustrate the efforts of" first recorded 1560s. Related: Foiled; foiling. Foiled again! as a cry of defeat and dismay is from at least 1847.
foil
n.
"thin sheet of metal," early 14c., from Old French fueille "leaf," from Latin folia "leaves," plural (mistaken for fem. singular) of folium "leaf" (see folio).
The sense of "one who enhances another by contrast" (1580s) is from the practice of backing a gem with metal foil to make it shine more brilliantly. The meaning "light sword used in fencing" (1590s) could be from this sense, or from foil (v.). The modern sense of "metallic food wrap" is from 1946.