Definition of foil

Overview of noun foil

The noun foil has 5 senses? (first 1 from tagged texts)

1. (5) foil

(a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal; "the photographic film was wrapped in foil")

2. foil, enhancer

(anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities; "pretty girls like plain friends as foils")

3. hydrofoil, 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")

4. foil, transparency

(picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector)

5. foil

(a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button)

Overview of verb foil

The verb foil has 3 senses? (first 2 from tagged texts)

1. (1) foil

(enhance by contrast; "In this picture, the figures are foiled against the background")

2. (1) thwart, queer, spoil, scotch, foil, cross, frustrate, baffle, bilk

(hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent")

3. foil

(cover or back with foil; "foil mirrors")