foiled

foil ¹  (foil)

tr.v. foiled, foil·ing, foils

1. To prevent from being successful; thwart.

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.

---

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

---

foil ²  (foil)

n.

1. A thin, flexible leaf or sheet of metal: aluminum foil.

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

3. One that by contrast underscores or enhances 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 set off by contrast.

---

[Middle English, from Old French foille, from Latin folia, pl. of folium, leaf; see bhel-³ in Indo-European roots.]

---

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. The art or sport of fencing with such a sword. Often used in the plural: a contest at foils.

---

[Origin unknown.]

Thesaurus

Adj.

1.

foiled - disappointingly unsuccessful; "disappointed expectations and thwarted ambitions"; "their foiled attempt to capture Calais"; "many frustrated poets end as pipe-smoking teachers"; "his best efforts were thwarted" disappointed, discomfited, frustrated, thwarted, defeated unsuccessful - not successful; having failed or having an unfavorable outcome