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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Foil \Foil\ (foil), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Foiled} (foild); p. pr.
& vb. n. {Foiling}.] [F. fouler to tread or trample under
one's feet, to press, oppress. See {Full}, v. t.]
1. To tread under foot; to trample.
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King Richard . . . caused the ensigns of Leopold to
be pulled down and foiled under foot. --Knoless.
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Whom he did all to pieces breake and foyle,
In filthy durt, and left so in the loathely soyle.
--Spenser.
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2. To render (an effort or attempt) vain or nugatory; to
baffle; to outwit; to balk; to frustrate; to defeat.
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And by ? mortal man at length am foiled. --Dryden.
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Her long locks that foil the painter's power.
--Byron.
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3. To blunt; to dull; to spoil; as, to foil the scent in
chase. --Addison.
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Foil \Foil\, n. [OE. foil leaf, OF. foil, fuil, fueil, foille,
fueille, F. feuille, fr. L. folium, pl. folia; akin to Gr. ?,
and perh. to E. blade. Cf. {Foliage}, {Folio}.]
1. A leaf or very thin sheet of metal; as, brass foil; tin
foil; gold foil.
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2. (Jewelry) A thin leaf of sheet copper silvered and
burnished, and afterwards coated with transparent colors
mixed with isinglass; -- employed by jewelers to give
color or brilliancy to pastes and inferior stones. --Ure.
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3. Anything that serves by contrast of color or quality to
adorn or set off another thing to advantage.
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As she a black silk cap on him began
To set, for foil of his milk-white to serve. --Sir
P. Sidney.
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Hector has a foil to set him off. --Broome.
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4. A thin coat of tin, with quicksilver, laid on the back of
a looking-glass, to cause reflection.
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5. (Arch.) The space between the cusps in Gothic
architecture; a rounded or leaflike ornament, in windows,
niches, etc. A group of foils is called trefoil,
quatrefoil, quinquefoil, etc., according to the number of
arcs of which it is composed.
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{Foil stone}, an imitation of a jewel or precious stone.
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Foil \Foil\, v. t. [See 6th {File}.]
To defile; to soil. [Obs.]
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Foil \Foil\, n.
1. Failure of success when on the point of attainment;
defeat; frustration; miscarriage. --Milton.
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Nor e'er was fate so near a foil. --Dryden.
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2. A blunt weapon used in fencing, resembling a smallsword in
the main, but usually lighter and having a button at the
point.
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Blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt
not. --Shak.
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Isocrates contended with a foil against Demosthenes
with a word. --Mitford.
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3. The track or trail of an animal.
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{To run a foil},to lead astray; to puzzle; -- alluding to the
habits of some animals of running back over the same track
to mislead their pursuers. --Brewer.
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