foil

¹

[ foil ]

verb (used with object)

1. to prevent the success of; frustrate; balk:

   Loyal troops foiled his attempt to overthrow the government.

   Synonyms: hamper, impede, thwart

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

noun

1. Archaic. a defeat; check; repulse.

foil

²

[ foil ]

noun

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:

   The straight man was an able foil to the comic.

   Synonyms: counterpart, complement, contrast

5. Architecture. an arc or a rounded space between cusps, as in the tracery of a window or other ornamentation.
6. an airfoil or hydrofoil.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover or back with foil.
2. to set off by contrast.

foil

³

[ foil ]

noun

, Fencing.

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.

foil

¹

/ fɔɪl /

verb

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
3. 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

foil

²

/ 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
3. 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. architect a small arc between cusps, esp as used in Gothic window tracery
6. See hydrofoil, aerofoil
   short for aerofoil hydrofoil

verb

1. to back or cover with foil
2. Alsofoliate architect to ornament (windows) with foils

foil

³

/ fɔɪl /

noun

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

Derived Forms

• ˈfoilable, adjective

Other Words From

• foila·ble adjective
• un·foila·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of foil¹

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”; full ²

Origin of foil²

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”)

Origin of foil³

First recorded in 1585–95; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of foil¹

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

Origin of foil²

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

Origin of foil³

C16: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Later, Melenda would send me off with a warm slice of her homemade rum cake wrapped in aluminum foil.

From Eater

Typically, they’re refreshing, tart, and often physically chilled, making an ideal foil to the highly spiced meat.

From Popular-Science

The new design is “tabless,” which means the rolled-up foils inside each cell won’t need a metal tab running its length in order to enable charging and discharging.

From Popular-Science

He’s turned the group into a boogeyman of sorts, and it serves as a perfect foil for a president and a conservative movement looking to cast the overwhelmingly peaceful participants in protests over police brutality as a group of violent thugs.

From Vox

Line an open box with aluminum foil, and use it to reflect sunlight into the box.

From Science News For Students

Frank no longer has his convenient foil from The Lay of the Land, his Tibetan associate Mike Mahoney.

From The Daily Beast

But his lumbering lurch toward the Ted Cruz tin-foil-hat convention should instead be an object lesson for Republicans to come.

From The Daily Beast

If McConnell really thinks that, then why not foil their scheme by voting yes?

From The Daily Beast

French and Crown one rib rack and season with salt and pepper, cover exposed bones with foil, cook in oven at 350 for 2.5 hours.

From The Daily Beast

The image really serves as a foil to the victim on the tape.

From The Daily Beast

A small palm tree was set in the midst of the arena,—the trunk bronze, the leaves one sheen of gold-foil.

From Project Gutenberg

Out of the panic at Big Shanty two men emerged, determined, if possible, to foil the unknown captors of their train.

From Project Gutenberg

General Hancock's head-quarters' flag,—the tree-foil of the Second Corps,—was waving on the ridge southwest of the house.

From Project Gutenberg

For two ounces of liquid I should recommend a sheet of stout silver foil, about two inches long and half an inch broad.

From Project Gutenberg

"You bet they're the real thing," said Tough McCarty, slipping off the foil.

From Project Gutenberg