foil

noun

  1. 1

    a light slender flexible sword tipped by a button

  2. 2

    a piece of thin and flexible sheet metal

    the photographic film was wrapped in foil

  3. 3

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

  4. 4

    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

  5. 5

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

    pretty girls like plain friends as foils

verb

  1. 1

    cover or back with foil

    foil mirrors

  2. 2

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

    What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge

    foil your opponent

  3. 3

    enhance by contrast

    In this picture, the figures are foiled against the background

Synonyms

Also useful for “foil”:Unscrambler