foil

foil ¹

 (foil)

tr.v. foiled, foil·ing, foils

1. To prevent from being successful; thwart: The alarm system foiled the thieves' robbery attempt.

2. To obscure or confuse (a trail or scent) so as to evade pursuers.

n. Archaic

1. A repulse; a setback.

2. The trail or scent of an animal.

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[Middle English foilen, to trample, defile, variant of filen, to defile; see file³.]

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foil ²

 (foil)

n.

1. Metal that has been formed into a thin, flexible sheet: aluminum foil.

2. A thin layer of polished metal placed under a displayed gem to lend it brilliance.

3. One that stands in contrast to and emphasizes the distinctive characteristics of another: "I am resolved my husband shall not be a rival, but a foil to me" (Charlotte Brontë).

4. The reflective metal coating on the back of a glass mirror.

5. Architecture A curvilinear, often lobelike figure or space formed between the cusps of intersecting arcs, found especially in Gothic tracery and Moorish ornament.

6.

a. An airfoil.

b. Nautical A hydrofoil.

tr.v. foiled, foil·ing, foils

1. To cover or back with foil.

2. To wrap (strands of hair) in pieces of foil in order to isolate them after bleach or color has been applied.

3. To set off by contrast.

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[Middle English, from Old French foille, from Latin folia, pl. of folium, leaf; see bhel- in Indo-European roots.]

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foil ³

 (foil)

n.

1. A fencing sword having a usually circular guard and a thin, flexible four-sided blade with a button on the tip to prevent injury.

2. often foils The art or sport of fencing with such a sword: a contest at foils.

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[Origin unknown.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

foil

(fɔɪl)

vb (tr)

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

2. (Hunting) 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)

n

4. (Hunting) hunting any scent that obscures the trail left by a hunted animal

5. archaic a setback or defeat

[C13 foilen to trample, from Old French fouler, from Old French fuler tread down, full²]

ˈfoilable adj

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foil

(fɔɪl)

n

1. (Metallurgy) metal in the form of very thin sheets: gold foil; tin foil.

2. (Ceramics) the thin metallic sheet forming the backing of a mirror

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

6. (Aeronautics) short for aerofoil, hydrofoil

vb (tr)

7. (Metallurgy) to back or cover with foil

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

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

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foil

(fɔɪl)

n

(Arms & Armour (excluding Firearms)) a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button and usually having a bell-shaped guard

[C16: of unknown origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

foil¹

(fɔɪl)

v.t.

1. to prevent the success of; frustrate; thwart.

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

n.

3. Archaic. a defeat; check; repulse.

[1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French foller, Old French fuler to trample, full (cloth)]

foil′a•ble, adj.

foil²

(fɔɪl)

n.

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.

5. an arc or rounded space between cusps.

6. an airfoil or hydrofoil.

v.t.

7. to cover or back with foil.

8. to set off by contrast.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Old French]

foil³

(fɔɪl)

n.

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.

[1585–95; orig. uncertain]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

foil

Past participle: foiled
Gerund: foiling

Imperative

foil

foil

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	foil - a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal; "the photographic film was wrapped in foil" aluminium foil, aluminum foil, tin foil - foil made of aluminum chaff - foil in thin strips; ejected into the air as a radar countermeasure gold foil - foil made of gold sheet metal - sheet of metal formed into a thin plate tin foil, tinfoil - foil made of tin or an alloy of tin and lead
	2.	foil - anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities; "pretty girls like plain friends as foils" enhancer attention - a general interest that leads people to want to know more; "She was the center of attention"
	3.	foil - 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" hydrofoil device - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water"
	4.	foil - picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector transparency ikon, picture, icon, image - a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface; "they showed us the pictures of their wedding"; "a movie is a series of images projected so rapidly that the eye integrates them" lantern slide, slide - a transparency mounted in a frame; viewed with a slide projector viewgraph, overhead - a transparency for use with an overhead projector
	5.	foil - a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button fencing - the art or sport of fighting with swords (especially the use of foils or epees or sabres to score points under a set of rules) fencing sword - a sword used in the sport of fencing
Verb	1.	foil - enhance by contrast; "In this picture, the figures are foiled against the background" counterpoint, contrast - to show differences when compared; be different; "the students contrast considerably in their artistic abilities"
	2.	foil - hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent" frustrate, queer, scotch, thwart, baffle, bilk, cross, spoil disappoint, let down - fail to meet the hopes or expectations of; "Her boyfriend let her down when he did not propose marriage" foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid - keep from happening or arising; make impossible; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project" dash - destroy or break; "dashed ambitions and hopes" short-circuit - hamper the progress of; impede; "short-circuit warm feelings" ruin - destroy or cause to fail; "This behavior will ruin your chances of winning the election"
	3.	foil - cover or back with foil; "foil mirrors" cover - provide with a covering or cause to be covered; "cover her face with a handkerchief"; "cover the child with a blanket"; "cover the grave with flowers"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

foil

¹

verb thwart, stop, check, defeat, disappoint, counter, frustrate, hamper, baffle, elude, balk, circumvent, outwit, nullify, checkmate, nip in the bud, put a spoke in (someone's) wheel (Brit.) A brave police chief foiled an armed robbery.

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foil

²

noun complement, setting, relief, contrast, background, antithesis A cold beer is the perfect foil for a curry.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

foil

verb

To prevent from accomplishing a purpose:

baffle, balk, check, checkmate, defeat, frustrate, stymie, thwart.

Informal: cross, stump.

Idiom: cut the ground from under.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

رُقَاقَةٌ مَعْدِنِيَّةسَيْف أو شيش المبارَزَهصَفيحَه فِضِّيَّهمُقارَنَه تُبْرِز الفرْقيُحْبِط، يُعَطِّل

fóliekontrastní protějšekzmařitfleret

aluminiumsfoliebaggrundfoliekårdeskuffe

FolieFlorettHintergrundkonterkarierenvereiteln

έλασμαφύλλο

abortardesbaratar los planesfloretefrustrarlámina de metal

folio

fleuretpapier d’aluminiumrapièrerepoussoirfaire échouer

folija

fegrandi andstæîaòynnasnúa á, hindrastingsverî

fiorettofoglia laminatafoglio di alluminiofrustarefrustrare

ホイル

포일

folijafonsizjauktkontrastsrapieris

folie

folieforpurrekårdeflorett

folia

papel de alumíniopapel metálico

фольга

fleuretfóliapravý opak

folie

โลหะแผ่น

folyoşeyzıt yapıda kimsealıkoymakengellemek

lá kim loại

箔金属薄片钝头剑陪衬的角色挫败

foil

¹ [fɔɪl] N

1. (also tinfoil) → papel m de aluminio, papel m de plata

2. (fig) to act as a foil to sth/sb → servir de contraste con algo/algn

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foil

² [fɔɪl] N (Fencing) → florete m

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foil

³ [fɔɪl] VT (= thwart) [+ person] → desbaratar los planes de; [+ attempt] → frustrar

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

foil

[ˈfɔɪl]

vt [+ plan, attempt] → déjouer, contrecarrer

n

(also kitchen foil) → papier m d'alu, papier m d'aluminium
She wrapped the meat in foil → Elle a enveloppé la viande dans du papier d'aluminium. aluminium foil

(= thin sheet of metal) → feuille f de métal

(= contrast) → complément m
Black provides the perfect foil for very blonde hair → Le noir apporte le complément parfait à une chevelure très blonde.
A cold beer is the perfect foil for a curry
BUT Une bière froide accompagne parfaitement un curry.
to act as a foil to → servir de repoussoir à, servir de faire-valoir à

(FENCING) → fleuret m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

foil

¹

n

(= metal sheet) → Folie f ? cooking foil, kitchen foil

(fig) → Hintergrund m, → Folie f; to act as a foil to something → einer Sache (dat) → als Hintergrund or Folie dienen

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foil

²

n (Fencing) → Florett nt

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foil

³

vt plans → durchkreuzen; attempts → vereiteln; person → einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen (+dat); foiled again! (hum) → wieder nichts!; he was foiled in his attempts → ihm wurde ein Strich durch die Rechnung gemacht

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

foil

¹ [fɔɪl] n

a. → lamina di metallo (also tinfoil, kitchen foil) → carta stagnola or d'alluminio
to act as a foil to sb/sth (fig) → far risaltare qn/qc

b. (Fencing) → fioretto

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foil

² [fɔɪl] vt (thief) → fermare; (attempt) → far fallire, sventare

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

foil¹

(foil) verb

to defeat; to disappoint. She was foiled in her attempt to become President. verydel; fnuik يُحْبِط، يُعَطِّل побеждавам frustrar zmařit vereiteln slå; skuffe εμποδίζω, ματαιώνω, απογοητεύωfrustrar nurjama شکست دادن؛ نقش بر آب کردن tehdä tyhjäksi faire échouer לְסַכֵּל रोड़े अटकाना poraziti, spriječiti meghiúsít mengalahkan, menggagalkan snúa á, hindra frustrare 裏をかく 실패하다 (su)žlugdyti izjaukt (plānus u.tml.) mengalahkan verijdelenslå ut, forpurre, narre, skuffepokonać ماته ورکول، مایوسه کول frustrar a îm­piedica срывать планы zmariť poraziti poraziti besegra, kullkasta ขัดขวาง engellemek, alıkoymak 挫敗 розладнувати, порушувати чиїсь плани ناکام کرنا làm thất bại (một âm mưu, một kế hoạch...) 挫败

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foil²

(foil) noun

1. extremely thin sheets of metal that resemble paper. silver foil. blad; bladmetaal; foelie صَفيحَه فِضِّيَّه фолио folha fólie die Folie sølvpapir; aluminiumsfolie έλασμα, λεπτό φύλλο μετάλλου papel/hoja de aluminio foolium ورقه نازک folio feuille/papier d'aluminium רָדִיד מָתֶכֶת धातु का महीन पत्तर metalna folija vékony fémlemez, fólia lempeng metal (málm)þynna foglio, lamina 金属の薄片 금속의 박편 folija folija kertas logam foliefoliefolia نازکه تخته،زرپوخ (زرورق) folha de alumínio foiţă de metal фольга fólia folija tanak list folie กระดาษหุ้มโลหะบางใช้ห่ออาหาร folyo 箔，金屬薄片 фольга کٹا ہوا دھات کا ورق lá (kim loại) 箔，金属薄片

2. a dull person or thing against which someone or something else seems brighter. She acted as a foil to her beautiful sister. teenstelling; kontras met مُقارَنَه تُبْرِز الفرْق фон contraste kontrastní protějšek der Hintergrund baggrund αντίθεση, συμπλήρωμαcontraste taust وجه تقابل؛ آشکار ساز vastakohta repoussoir אָדָם רדוּד मजा बिगाड़ने वाला tupavac, nezanimljivost kontraszt tidak cantik fegrandi andstæða contrasto 引立て役 남(다른 것)을 돋보이게 하는 사람(것) fonas, kontrastas kontrasts; fons orang yang membosankan contrast noe som framhever/setter i relieff tło, kontrast ښكارندوي contraste ceva/cineva care, prin contrast, pune în valoare altceva/ pe altcineva контраст pravý opak (grdo) nasprotje sušta suprotnost fördelaktig bakgrund (kontrast) สิ่งที่ส่งให้อีกสิ่งหนึ่งเด่นยิ่งขึ้น zıt yapıda kimse, şey 陪襯的角色 тло, фон کسی کو تضاد سے نمایاں کرنے والا شخص یا شے người hay vật tôn người hay vật khác lên (khi so sánh) 陪衬的角色

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foil³

(foil) noun

a blunt sword with a button at the end, used in the sport of fencing. floret سَيْف أو شيش المبارَزَه рапира florete fleret das Florett kårde ξίφος ξιφασκίας florete florett شمشیر ویژه شمشیر بازی floretti fleuretסיף पतली तलवार floret za vježbu (s kuglicom na kraju) (vívó)tőr pedang anggar stingsverð fioretto フォイル 포일(끝에 솜방망이를 달아 둥글게 한 검) rapyra rapieris pedang floretflorett, kårde floret يوه سپكه پڅه توره چه دتورى په لوبه كى استعماليږى florete floretă рапира fleuret floret floret florett ดาบปลายทู่ที่ใช้ในกีฬาฟันดาบ eskrim kılıcı 鈍頭劍 рапіра شمشیر زنی کے لۓ ہلکی کند تلوار kiếm bịt đầu 钝头剑

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

foil

→ رُقَاقَةٌ مَعْدِنِيَّة fólie folie Folie έλασμα lámina de metal folio papier d’aluminium folija foglio di alluminio ホイル 포일 folie folie folia papel de alumínio, papel metálico фольга folie โลหะแผ่น folyo lá kim loại 箔

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009