Is foil a word

фольга, рапира, фон, контраст, след зверя, срывать, сбивать со следа

существительное ↓

глагол ↓

Словосочетания

the lithe blade of a fencing foil — гибкий клинок фехтовальной рапиры  
to crush / foil a conspiracy — разоблачить, раскрыть заговор  
to foil / stymie / thwart smb.’s efforts — свести на нет чьи-л. усилия  
to foil / thwart an escape — срывать побег  
aluminum foil — алюминиевая фольга  
gold foil — золотая фольга, листовое золото  
silver foil — серебряная фольга, металлическая фольга  
to foil / thwart a scheme — разрушать планы  
to foil / thwart an attempt — потерпеть неудачу  
copper foil — медная фольга  
lead foil — свинцовая фольга  

Примеры с переводом

Возможные однокоренные слова

foiling  — лиственный орнамент, гон, амальгамирование
foiled  — украшенный лиственным орнаментом

Формы слова

verb
I/you/we/they: foil
he/she/it: foils
ing ф. (present participle): foiling
2-я ф. (past tense): foiled
3-я ф. (past participle): foiled

noun
ед. ч.(singular): foil
мн. ч.(plural): foils

English[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /fɔɪl/
• Rhymes: -ɔɪl

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English foyle, from Middle French fueille, from Old French fueille (“plant leaf”), from Late Latin folia, the plural of folium, mistaken as a singular feminine.

The literary sense is from the practice of backing a gem with metal foil to make it shine more brilliantly.

Doublet of folio and folium, distantly also with phyllo and phyllon.

Noun[edit]

foil (countable and uncountable, plural foils)

1. A very thin sheet of metal.
2. (chiefly uncountable) Thin aluminium/aluminum (or, formerly, tin) used for wrapping food.

   wrap the sandwich up in foil

3. A thin layer of metal put between a jewel and its setting to make it seem more brilliant.
4. (authorship, figuratively) In literature, theatre/theater, etc., a character who helps emphasize the traits of the main character and who usually acts as an opponent or antagonist, but can also serve as the sidekick of the protagonist.

   • 2022 December 20, Leigh Monson, “Puss In Boots: The Last Wish review: Antonio Banderas leads the best film yet in the Shrek franchise”, in AV Club‎^[1]:

     As Puss comes to realize his legendary status is not a substitute for interpersonal connection, his interactions with Kitty and the therapy dog start to take on a surprising amount of weight, while Goldilocks serves as a well-realized foil who has more in common with Puss that is at first apparent.

5. (figuratively) Anything that acts by contrast to emphasise the characteristics of something.

   • a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the page number)”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912, →OCLC:

     As she a black silk cap on him begun / To set, for foil of his milk-white to serve.

   • 1725-1726, William Broome, The Odyssey

     Hector has also a foil to set regard

6. (fencing) A very thin sword with a blunted (or foiled) tip

   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:

     Blunt as the fencer’s foils, which hit, but hurt not.

   • 1784-1810, William Mitford, History of Greece

     Socrates contended with a foil against Demosthenes with a sword.

7. A thin, transparent plastic material on which marks are made and projected for the purposes of presentation. See transparency.
8. A premium trading card with a glossy finish.
   • 2016, Pojo’s Unofficial Big Book of Pokémon (Triumph Books)

     I personally would collect all the foils from Base Set before this one, but the market is what the market is.

9. (heraldry) A stylized flower or leaf.
10. (hydrodynamics, nautical) Clipping of hydrofoil.
11. (aerodynamics, aviation) Clipping of aerofoil/airfoil.

Synonyms[edit]

• (thin aluminium/aluminum): aluminium foil, silver foil, silver paper, tin foil

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

foil (third-person singular simple present foils, present participle foiling, simple past and past participle foiled)

1. (transitive) To cover or wrap with foil.
2. (nautical) Clipping of hydrofoil.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English foilen (“spoil a scent trail by crossing it”), from Old French fouler (“tread on, trample”), ultimately from Latin fullō (“I trample, I full”).

Verb[edit]

foil (third-person singular simple present foils, present participle foiling, simple past and past participle foiled)

1. To prevent (something) from being accomplished.

   They foiled my plans.

2. To prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

   I was foiled by my superior

   • 1606, C[aius, i.e., Gaius] Suetonius Tranquillus, “The Historie of Flavius Vespatianus Augustus”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of Twelve Cæsars Emperours of Rome. […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes and George Snowdon] for Matthew Lownes, →OCLC, section 5, page 243:

     And at the field fought before Bebriacum, ere the battailes joyned, tvvo Ægles had a conflict and bickered together in all their fights: and vvhen the one of them was foyled and overcome, a third came at the very inſtant from the ſunne riſing and chaſed the Victreſſe avvay.

   • 1697, Virgil, “The Seventh Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:

     And by mortal man at length am foil’d.

   • 1812, Lord Byron, “Canto I”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. A Romaunt, London: Printed for John Murray, […]; William Blackwood, Edinburgh; and John Cumming, Dublin; by Thomas Davison, […], →OCLC, stanza LV:

     her long locks that foil the painter’s power

   • 2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1 — 0 Everton”, in BBC Sport‎^[2]:

     First, former Toffee Mikel Arteta sent Walcott racing clear but instead of shooting he squared towards Ramsey, who was foiled by Tony Hibbert.

   • 2017 August 20, “The Observer view on the attacks in Spain”, in The Observer‎^[3]:

     Many jihadist plots have been foiled and the security apparatus is getting better, overall, at pre-empting those who would do us ill. But, they say, the nature of the threat and the terrorists’ increasing use of low-tech, asymmetrical tactics such as hire vehicles and knives, make it all but impossible to stop every assault.

3. To blunt; to dull; to spoil.

   • 1711 August 11 (Gregorian calendar)​, Joseph Addison, “TUESDAY, July 31, 1711”, in The Spectator, number (please specify the issue number); republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume (please either specify the issue number or |volume=I to VI), New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:

     they foil the scent of one another.

4. (obsolete) To tread underfoot; to trample.
   • 1603, Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes

     King Richard […] caused the ensigns of Leopold to be pulled down and foiled underfoot.

   • Whom he did all to pieces breake and foyle, / In filthy durt, and left so in the loathely soyle.

Synonyms[edit]

• (prevent from being accomplished): put the kibosh on, scupper, thwart

Translations[edit]

Noun[edit]

foil (plural foils)

1. Failure when on the point of attainment; defeat; frustration; miscarriage.
   • 1685, John Dryden, Threnodia Augustalis

     Nor e’er was fate so near a foil.

2. One of the incorrect answers presented in a multiple-choice test.

Etymology 3[edit]

From French foulis.

Noun[edit]

foil (plural foils)

1. (hunting) The track of an animal.

   • 1749, Henry Fielding, chapter IV, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book VII:

     […] but after giving her a dodge, here’s another b— follows me upon the foil.

Synonyms[edit]

• (track of an animal): spoor

Translations[edit]

Etymology 4[edit]

From mnemonic acronym FOIL (“First Outside Inside Last”).

Verb[edit]

foil (third-person singular simple present foils, present participle foiling, simple past and past participle foiled)

1. (mathematics) To expand a product of two or more algebraic expressions, typically binomials.

Translations[edit]

Etymology 5[edit]

See file.

Verb[edit]

foil (third-person singular simple present foils, present participle foiling, simple past and past participle foiled)

1. (obsolete) To defile; to soil.

References[edit]

Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “foil”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams[edit]

• Filo, LIFO, filo, lo-fi, lofi

Old French[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin folium. Compare fueille, from the plural of folium, folia.

Noun[edit]

foil m (oblique plural fouz or foilz, nominative singular fouz or foilz, nominative plural foil)

1. leaf (green appendage of a plant which photosynthesizes)

Old Irish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Celtic *uɸolexs, from *uɸo- (“under”) +‎ leg- (“to lie”). Cognate with Welsh gwâl (“lair, pigsty”).^[1]

Noun[edit]

foil f (genitive folach)

1. ring, bracelet
   • c. 845, St Gall Glosses on Priscian, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1975, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. II, pp. 49–224, Sg. 64^a17

     foil ― glossing Latin armillam (“bracelet”)

2. pigsty

Inflection[edit]

Feminine g-stem
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	foil	folaigL	folaig
Vocative	foil	folaigL	foilgea
Accusative	folaigN	folaigL	foilgea
Genitive	folach	folach	folachN
Dative	folaigL	foilgib	foilgib
Initial mutations of a following adjective: H = triggers aspiration L = triggers lenition N = triggers nasalization

Derived terms[edit]

• muccfoil

Descendants[edit]

• Middle Irish: fail
  • Irish: fail
  • Scottish Gaelic: fail

Mutation[edit]

Old Irish mutation
Radical	Lenition	Nasalization
foil	ḟoil	foil pronounced with /v(ʲ)-/
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 fail, foil”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
• G. Toner, M. Ní Mhaonaigh, S. Arbuthnot, D. Wodtko, M.-L. Theuerkauf, editors (2019), “1 foil, fail”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘foil.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Definitions For Foil

noun

• A light slender flexible sword tipped by a button
• A piece of thin and flexible sheet metal
• Picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector
• 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
• Anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing’s good qualities

verb

• Cover or back with foil
• Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of
• Enhance by contrast

English International (SOWPODS)
YES

Points in Different Games

Scrabble

Words with Friends

The word Foil is worth 7 points in Scrabble and 8 points in Words with Friends

Synonyms for Foil

See Also: Foggy Bottom foghorn fogram fogy foh föhn FOI FOIA foible foie gras foil foilborne foiled foilsman foin Foïsm foison foist Fokine Fokker fol. Recent searches: View All

Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks. WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023 foil1 /fɔɪl/USA pronunciation   v. [~ + object] to prevent the success of; thwart:Loyal troops foiled the revolt. foil2 /fɔɪl/USA pronunciation   n.  Metallurgy metal in very thin sheets:[uncountable]aluminum foil. a person or thing that serves as a contrast to another:[countable]Goodness was a foil to their villainy. See -foli-. foil3 /fɔɪl/USA pronunciation   n.  Sport[countable] a flexible four-sided sword having a blunt point, used for fencing. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023 foil1  (foil),USA pronunciation v.t.  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. n. [Archaic.]a defeat; check; repulse. Anglo-French foller, Old French fuler to trample, full (cloth). See full2 Middle English foilen, 1250–1300 foil′a•ble, adj.  1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged thwart; impede, hamper. foil2  (foil),USA pronunciation n.  Metallurgymetal in the form of very thin sheets:aluminum foil. Metallurgythe metallic backing applied to glass to form a mirror. a thin layer of metal placed under a gem in a closed setting to improve its color or brilliancy. a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast:The straight man was an able foil to the comic. Architecturean arc or a rounded space between cusps, as in the tracery of a window or other ornamentation. Aeronauticsan airfoil or hydrofoil. v.t. to cover or back with foil. to set off by contrast. Latin folium leaf, blade) Latin folia leaves), fuel, fueil, foil ( Old French fuelle, fueille, foille ( Middle English foille, foil 1350–1400 4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged contrast, complement, counterpart. foil3  (foil),USA pronunciation n. [Fencing.] Sporta flexible four-sided rapier having a blunt point. Sport 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, originally uncertain 1585–95 Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: foil /fɔɪl/ vb (transitive) to baffle or frustrate (a person, attempt, etc) (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) Etymology: 13th Century foilen to trample, from Old French fouler, from Old French fuler tread down, full² ˈfoilable adj foil /fɔɪl/ n metal in the form of very thin sheets: gold 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 a small arc between cusps, esp as used in Gothic window tracery short for aerofoil, hydrofoil vb (transitive) to back or cover with foil Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French foille, from Latin folia leaves, plural of folium foil /fɔɪl/ n a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button and usually having a bell-shaped guard Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin ‘foil‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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Foil has many meanings. In this quotation from the NYT, foil means:

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 Bronte

Source: The Free Dictionary

Other examples, cited by the The Free Dictionary (link above):

Bleak House by Charles Dickens (at end of the long excerpt):

Mr. Tulkinghorn, such a foil in his old- fashioned rusty black to Lady
Dedlock’s brightness, hands her down the staircase to her carriage.

Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte:

However, it must be acknowledged, she had faults to foil her gifts.

My final quote is quite sexist, but it illustrates better than the others what Rob Stutzman was probably thinking, and has the virtue of not being a 19th century quote, although I can’t say the same about the mindset:

pretty girls like plain friends as foils. TFD

Judge for yourself who Mr. Stutzman would think is pretty and who is plain in his statement.

• 1
  foil
  
  

  Англо-русский словарь строительных терминов > foil

• 2
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  Ⅰ

  foil [fɔɪl]

  1) фо́льга́, станио́ль

  3) контра́ст; фон;

  2.

  v редк.

  служи́ть контра́стом, подчёркивать (что-л.)

  Ⅱ

  foil [fɔɪl]

  1) ста́вить в тупи́к; расстра́ивать (чьи-л.) пла́ны; срыва́ть (что-л.)

  2) сбива́ть ( собаку) со сле́да

  3)

  уст.

  отрази́ть нападе́ние, одоле́ть

  Ⅲ

  рапи́ра

  Англо-русский словарь Мюллера > foil

• 3
  foil
  
  

  Персональный Сократ > foil

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  foil
  
  

  1. n фольга

  2. n амальгама, зеркальная наводка

  3. n архит. лиственный орнамент

  4. n контраст; фон

  5. n партнёр, подающий реплики исполнителю

  6. v покрывать фольгой, амальгамировать

  7. v кул. завёртывать в фольгу

  8. v подчёркивать, выделять путём контраста

  9. v архит. украшать лиственным орнаментом

  10. n охот. след зверя

  11. v охот. сбивать со следа

  12. v одурачивать, ставить в тупик

  13. v расстраивать, срывать планы

  14. n фехтовальная рапира

  15. n ав. крыло, крыловидный профиль

  16. n подводное крыло

  Синонимический ряд:

  4. very thin sheet of metal (noun) aluminum foil; gold foil; gold leaf; lead foil; leaf metal; metal film; tin foil; very thin sheet of metal

  5. check (verb) baffle; balk; check; checkmate; stymie

  7. frustrate (verb) beat; bilk; buffalo; circumvent; dash; disappoint; frustrate; ruin

  8. thwart (verb) counterblow; defeat; hinder; keep from success; parry; prevent; thwart

  Антонимический ряд:

  aid; detract

  English-Russian base dictionary > foil

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  foil
  
  

  1. фольга; фольгировать, покрывать фольгой

  2. очувствлённая ацетатная плёнка

  English-Russian big polytechnic dictionary > foil

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  foil
  
  

  1) фольга || фольгировать, покрывать фольгой

  2) очувствлённая ацетатная плёнка (напр. диазоплёнка для получения промежуточных копий)

  Англо-русский словарь по полиграфии и издательскому делу > foil

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  foil
  
  

  2) мор. подводное крыло

  •

  Англо-русский словарь технических терминов > foil

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  foil
  
  

  gold foil — 1) листовое золото 2) золотая фольга

  tin foil — оловянная фольга, станиоль

  English-Russian dictionary of aviation and space materials > foil

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  foil
  
  

  фольга
  имя существительное:

  глагол:

  Англо-русский синонимический словарь > foil

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  foil
  
  

  [̈ɪfɔɪl]

  foil контраст; фон; to serve as a foil to служить контрастом, подчеркивать (что-л.) foil архит. орнамент в виде листьев (в готическом стиле) foil уст. отразить нападение, одолеть foil рапира foil сбивать (собаку) со следа foil след зверя foil редк. служить контрастом, подчеркивать (что-л.) foil ставить в тупик; расстраивать (чьи-л.) планы; срывать (что-л.) foil фольга, станиоль foil контраст; фон; to serve as a foil to служить контрастом, подчеркивать (что-л.) tin foil оловянная фольга, станиоль

  English-Russian short dictionary > foil

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  foil
  
  

  ̈ɪfɔɪl I
  1. сущ.
  1) фольга;
  станиоль, aluminum foil gold foil silver foil tinfoil
  2) контраст;
  фон Her husband’s steadiness acts as a foil to her impetuousness. ≈Уравновешенность ее мужа выступает контрастом порывистости ее характера. Syn: contrast, background
  3) архит. орнамент в виде листьев (в готическом стиле)
  2. гл.;
  редк.
  1) покрывать фольгой
  2) служить контрастом;
  оттенять чем-л. контрастным II
  1. сущ.;
  уст.
  1) расстройство( планов) ;
  крушение( надежд) Syn: defeat
  2) потеря охотничьей собакой следа Syn: check
  2. гл.
  1) мешать (исполнению чего-л.) ;
  расстраивать, разрушать (планы и т. п.) The prisoner’s attempt to escape was foiled at the last minute. ≈ Попытка побега заключенного была расстроена в последнюю минуту. Syn: frustrate, thwart
  2) сбивать( собаку) со следа III сущ.
  1) рапира Syn: rapier
  2) фехтование на рапирах
  фольга амальгама, зеркальная наводка (архитектура) лиственный орнамент( в готике) контраст;
  фон — to serve as a * to smb.’s beauty оттенять чью-л. красоту партнер, подающий реплики исполнителю — a * for a comedian партнер комика покрывать фольгой, амальгамировать( кулинарное) завертывать в фольгу (перед жареньем) подчеркивать, выделять( что-л.) путем контраста (архитектура) украшать лиственным орнаментом (охота) след зверя — to run upon its own * вторично бежать по своему следу (чтобы сбить с толку собак) (охота) сбивать со следа( собаку) одурачивать, ставить в тупик расстраивать, срывать планы — to be *ed at all points потерпеть неудачу по всем линиям фехтовальная рапира (авиация) крыло, крыловидный профиль подводное крыло
  foil контраст;
  фон;
  to serve as a foil to служить контрастом, подчеркивать (что-л.) ~ архит. орнамент в виде листьев (в готическом стиле) ~ уст. отразить нападение, одолеть ~ рапира ~ сбивать( собаку) со следа ~ след зверя ~ редк. служить контрастом, подчеркивать (что-л.) ~ ставить в тупик;
  расстраивать (чьи-л.) планы;
  срывать( что-л.) ~ фольга, станиоль
  foil контраст;
  фон;
  to serve as a foil to служить контрастом, подчеркивать (что-л.)
  tin ~ оловянная фольга, станиоль

  Большой англо-русский и русско-английский словарь > foil

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  Англо-русский технический словарь > foil

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  Англо-русский строительный словарь > foil

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  Англо-русский словарь по прокатке металлов > foil

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  I [fɔɪl]
  1.

  сущ.

  1) фольга; станиоль

  gold foil — золотая фольга, листовое золото

  silver foil — серебряная фольга, металлическая фольга

  2) контраст; фон

  Her husband’s steadiness acts as a foil to her impetuousness. — Уравновешенность её мужа выступает контрастом пылкости её характера.

  Syn:

  3)

  архит.

  орнамент в виде листьев

  2.

  гл.

  2) служить контрастом; оттенять чем-л. контрастным

  II [fɔɪl]
  1.

  сущ.

  1)

  уст.

  расстройство ; крушение

  Syn:

  2)

  охот.

  потеря охотничьей собакой следа

  2.

  гл.

  1) мешать ; расстраивать, разрушать

  The prisoner’s attempt to escape was foiled at the last minute. — Попытка побега заключённого была расстроена в последнюю минуту.

  Syn:

  2)

  охот.

  сбивать со следа

  III [fɔɪl]

  сущ.

  Syn:

  2)

  спорт.

  фехтование на рапирах

  Syn:

  Англо-русский современный словарь > foil

• 16
  foil
  
  

  1) фольга || фольгировать

  2) станиоль || станиолевый

  •

  English-Russian scientific dictionary > foil

• 17
  foil
  
  

  English-Russian big medical dictionary > foil

• 18
  foil
  
  

  English-Russian dictionary on nuclear energy > foil

• 19
  foil
  
  

  The English-Russian dictionary general scientific > foil

• 20
  foil
  
  

  I

  1. фольга

  2. амальгама, зеркальная наводка

  3.

  лиственный орнамент ()

  4. 1) контраст; фон

  to serve as a foil to smb.’s beauty — оттенять чью-л. красоту

  2) партнёр, подающий реплики исполнителю

  1. 1) покрывать фольгой, амальгамировать

  2)

  завёртывать в фольгу ()

  2. подчёркивать, выделять (

  ) путём контраста

  3.

  украшать лиственным орнаментом

  II

  след зверя

  1. 1)

  сбивать со следа ()

  2) одурачивать, ставить в тупик

  2. расстраивать, срывать планы

  II
  [fɔıl]

  IV
  [fɔıl]

  1)

  крыло, крыловидный профиль

  2) подводное крыло

  НБАРС > foil