foil
A very thin sheet of metalA very thin sheet of metal.
» A little old woman foiled the robbery by whacking the thief on the head with her cane.
Маленькая старушка провалила ограбление, огрев злодея по голове своей тростью.
Старенька жіночка невисокого зросту запобігла пограбуванню, вдаривши злодія по голові своєю тростиною.
Meaning
14 senses(countable, uncountable)A very thin sheet of metal.
Folie
фольга́folʹgá, станио́льstaniólʹ
фо́льгаfólʹha
a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal
(countable, uncountable)A very thin sheet of plastic.
(uncountable)Thin aluminium/aluminum (or, formerly, tin) used for wrapping food.
wrap the sandwich up in foil
Aluminiumfolie
фольга́folʹgá
(countable, uncountable)A thin layer of metal put between a jewel and its setting to make it seem more brilliant.
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)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.
Kontrastfigur
(countable, figuratively, uncountable)Anything that acts by contrast to emphasise the characteristics of something.
1725-1726, William Broome, The Odyssey Hector has also a foil to set regard
(countable, uncountable)A very thin sword with a blunted (or foiled) tip.
1784-1810, William Mitford, History of Greece Socrates contended with a foil against Demosthenes with a sword.
Florett
рапи́раrapíra
(countable, uncountable)A thin, transparent plastic material on which marks are made and projected for the purposes of presentation. See transparency.
(countable, uncountable)A premium trading card with a glossy finish.
(countable, uncountable)A stylized flower or leaf.
Failure when on the point of attainment; defeat; frustration; miscarriage.
One of the incorrect answers presented in a multiple-choice test.
Examples
24 sentencesA little old woman foiled the robbery by whacking the thief on the head with her cane.
Старенька жіночка невисокого зросту запобігла пограбуванню, вдаривши злодія по голові своєю тростиною.
ruМаленькая старушка провалила ограбление, огрев злодея по голове своей тростью.
I was foiled in my attempt.
ruМоя попытка провалилась.
This threatens to foil our plans.
deDas droht unsere Pläne zunichte zu machen.
He wrapped the bun in foil.
He wrapped the bun in aluminum foil.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
By meaning 4
Origin
From Middle English foyle, from Middle French fueille, from Old French fueille (“plant leaFrom 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.
From Middle English foilen (“spoil a scent trail by crossing it”), from Old French fouler (“tread on, trample”), ultimately from Latin fullō (“to trample, full”).
From French foulis.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: foilsSynonyms
8 synonyms- picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector:transparency
- anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities:enhancer
- 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:hydrofoil
Word family
28 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable