foil - Definition | Dictionary definition of foil

Definition of foil

enhance by contrast

"In this picture, the figures are foiled against the background"

Type of:: contrast, counterpoint
to show differences when compared; be different

hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of

"foil your opponent"

Types:: show 10 types...; hide 10 types...; disappoint, let down
fail to meet the hopes or expectations of; betray, fail
disappoint, prove undependable to; abandon, forsake; come short, fall short
fail to meet (expectations or standards); disenchant, disillusion
free from enchantment; dash
destroy or break; short-circuit
hamper the progress of; impede; ruin
destroy or cause to fail; undo
cause the ruin or downfall of; break
cause the failure or ruin of; shipwreck
ruin utterly

Type of:: forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent
keep from happening or arising; make impossible

cover or back with foil

"foil mirrors"

a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal

"the photographic film was wrapped in foil"

Types:: show 5 types...; hide 5 types...; aluminium foil, aluminum foil, tin foil
foil made of aluminum; chaff
foil in thin strips; ejected into the air as a radar countermeasure; gold foil
foil made of gold; gold leaf
a very thin form of gold foil; tin foil, tinfoil
foil made of tin or an alloy of tin and lead

anything that serves by contrast to call attention to another thing's good qualities

"pretty girls like plain friends as foils"

Type of:: attention
a general interest that leads people to want to know more

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"

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

Types:: lantern slide, slide
a transparency mounted in a frame; viewed with a slide projector; overhead, viewgraph
a transparency for use with an overhead projector