FOIL - Meaning & Translations | Collins English Dictionary (2025)

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Definitions of 'foil'

1.

Foil consists of sheets of metal as thin as paper. It is used to wrap food in.

[...]

2.

If you foil someone's plan or attempt to do something, for example to commit a crime, you succeed in stopping them from doing what they want.

[journalism] [...]

3.

If you refer to one thing or person as a foil for another, you approve of the fact that they contrast with each other and go well together, often in a way that makes the second thing or person seem better or less harmful.

[approval] [...]

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Pronunciation of 'foil'

British English pronunciation

FOIL - Meaning & Translations | Collins English Dictionary (1)

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Conjugations of 'foil'

present simple: I foil, you foil [...]

past simple: I foiled, you foiled [...]

past participle: foiled

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Synonyms of 'foil'

thwart, stop, check, defeat [...]

complement, setting, relief, contrast [...]

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Collocations with 'foil'

foil a plan foil pack foil package More

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Examples of 'foil'  in a sentence

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins.Read more

The laser then zapped a capsule of deuterium, a heavier form of hydrogen, and turned it into a plasma, which, thanks to the grids of foil nearby, swirled with turbulence.

New Scientist (news and features) (2022)

I'm not sure they would have been able to foil a serious crime.

Times, Sunday Times (2011)

Butter sheets of foil or baking parchment and place over top.

Times, Sunday Times (2017)

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Translations of 'foil'

English-French

transitive verb: [plan, attempt] déjouer, contrecarrer [...]

noun: papier d’alu, papier d’aluminium; (=thin sheet of metal) feuille de métal; (=contrast) complément [...]

See entry English-Spanish

transitive verb: (=thwart) [person] desbaratar los planes de; [attempt] frustrar [...]

noun: papel de aluminio, papel de plata, (Fencing) florete [...]

See entry

English-German

noun: (= metal sheet) Folie f cooking foil, kitchen foil; (fig) Hintergrund m, Folie f, (Fencing) Florett nt [...]

transitive verb: plans durchkreuzen; attempts vereiteln; person einen Strich durch die Rechnung machen (+dat) [...]

See entry

English-Italian

noun: lamina di metallo, carta stagnola or d’alluminio; (Fencing) fioretto [...]

transitive verb: (thief) fermare; (attempt) far fallire, sventare [...]

See entry

English-Chinese

transitive verb: (attempt, plan) 阻止 [...]

noun: [uncount] 箔纸; [count] (figurative:complement) 陪衬; [count] (Fencing) 花剑 [...]

See entry

English-Portuguese

transitive verb: frustrar [...]

noun: folha metálica; folha papel de alumínio; (complement) contraste, complemento [...]

See entry

English-Hindi

uncountable noun: पन्नी [...]

transitive verb: [journalism] विफल कर देना [...]

See entry

English-Japanese

uncountable noun: ホイル [...]

transitive verb: [journalism] 食い止める [...]

See entry

English-Korean

uncountable noun: 포일, 은박지 [...]

transitive verb: [journalism] 저지하다 [...]

See entry

'foil' in other languages

Foil is metal that is as thin as paper. It is used to wrap food in.

Arabic: رُقَاقَةٌ مَعْدِنِيَّة

Croatian: folija

Czech: fólie

Danish: folie

Dutch: folie

Finnish: folio

Greek: έλασμα

Norwegian: folie

Polish: folia

Romanian: folie

Russian: фольга

Swedish: folie

Thai: ฟอยล์สำหรับห่ออาหาร

Turkish: folyo

Ukrainian: фольга

Vietnamese: lá kim loại

Word Lists containing 'foil'

architectural features

sword

FOIL - Meaning & Translations | Collins English Dictionary (2025)

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