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.
3. Anything that serves by contrast of color or quality to
adorn or set off another thing to advantage.
As she a black silk cap on him began To set, for
foil of his milk-white to serve. --Sir P.
Sidney.
Hector has a foil to set him off. --Broome.
4. A thin coat of tin, with quicksilver, laid on the back of
a looking-glass, to cause reflection.
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.
{Foil stone}, an imitation of a jewel or precious stone.
Nor e'er was fate so near a foil. --Dryden.
2. A blunt weapon used in fencing, resembling a smallsword in
the main, but usually lighter and having a button at the
point.
Blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt
not. --Shak.
Isocrates contended with a foil against Demosthenes
with a word. --Mitford.
3. The track or trail of an animal.
{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.
King Richard . . . caused the ensigns of Leopold to
be pulled down and foiled under foot. --Knoless.
Whom he did all to pieces breake and foyle, In
filthy durt, and left so in the loathely soyle.
--Spenser.
2. To render (an effort or attempt) vain or nugatory; to
baffle; to outwit; to balk; to frustrate; to defeat.
And by ? mortal man at length am foiled. --Dryden.
Her long locks that foil the painter's power.
--Byron.
3. To blunt; to dull; to spoil; as, to foil the scent in
chase. --Addison.