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Definition of foil noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

foil

noun
 
/fɔɪl/
 
/fɔɪl/
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  1. (also tinfoil)
    (British English also silver foil)
    [uncountable] metal made into very thin sheets that is used for covering or wrapping things, especially food
    • (British English) aluminium foil
    • (North American English) aluminum foil
    • Cover the fish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
    • I wrapped the sandwiches in kitchen foil.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • aluminium
    • aluminum
    • gold
    … of foil
    • piece
    • sheet
    • roll
    verb + foil
    • cover something with
    • wrap something in
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable] paper that is covered in very thin sheets of metal
    • The chocolates are individually wrapped in gold foil.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • aluminium
    • aluminum
    • gold
    … of foil
    • piece
    • sheet
    • roll
    verb + foil
    • cover something with
    • wrap something in
    See full entry
  3. [countable] foil (for somebody/something) a person or thing that contrasts with, and therefore emphasizes, the qualities of another person or thing
    • The pale walls provide a perfect foil for the furniture.
    • His mellow guitar technique is the ideal foil for her soaring voice.
    Extra Examples
    • She has used mosses as a foil for the bright red flowers in the bed.
    • The couple provided the perfect foil for one another.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • good
    • ideal
    • perfect
    verb + foil
    • be
    • provide
    preposition
    • as a foil
    • foil for
    • foil to
    See full entry
  4. [countable] a long thin light sword used in the sport of fencingTopics Sports: other sportsc2
  5. Word Originnoun senses 1 to 3 Middle English: via Old French from Latin folium ‘leaf’. noun sense 4 late 16th cent.: of unknown origin.
See foil in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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