*foil*

n. 1. 1 a surface such as the wing of an airplane designed to provide reactive force when in motion relative to the surrounding air.
Syn. -- aerofoil [ WordNet 1.5 ]

. (Bot.) A leguminous shrub of southern Europe, with trifoliate leaves (Anagyris foetida). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cinque five + foil, F. feuille leaf. See Foil. ] 1. (Bot.) The name of several different species of the genus Potentilla; -- also called five-finger, because of the resemblance of its leaves to the fingers of the hand. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) An ornamental foliation having five points or cups, used in windows, panels, etc. Gwilt. [ 1913 Webster ]

Marsh cinquefoil, the Potentilla palustris, a plant with purple flowers which grows in fresh-water marshes. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Counter- + foil a leaf. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. That part of a tally, formerly in the exchequer, which was kept by an officer in that court, the other, called the stock, being delivered to the person who had lent the king money on the account; -- called also counterstock. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The part of a writing (as the stub of a bank check) in which are noted the main particulars contained in the corresponding part, which has been issued. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Feather + foil a leaf. ] (Bot.) An aquatic plant (Hottonia palustris), having finely divided leaves. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Foiled p. pr. & vb. n. Foiling. ] [ F. fouler to tread or trample under one's feet, to press, oppress. See Full, v. t. ] 1. To tread under foot; to trample. [ 1913 Webster ]

King Richard . . . caused the ensigns of Leopold to be pulled down and foiled under foot. Knoless. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whom he did all to pieces breake and foyle,
In filthy durt, and left so in the loathely soyle. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To render (an effort or attempt) vain or nugatory; to baffle; to outwit; to balk; to frustrate; to defeat. [ 1913 Webster ]

And by &unr_; mortal man at length am foiled. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Her long locks that foil the painter's power. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To blunt; to dull; to spoil; as, to foil the scent in chase. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See 6th File. ] To defile; to soil. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Failure of success when on the point of attainment; defeat; frustration; miscarriage. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor e'er was fate so near a foil. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A blunt weapon used in fencing, resembling a smallsword in the main, but usually lighter and having a button at the point. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt not. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Isocrates contended with a foil against Demosthenes with a word. Mitford. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The track or trail of an animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. foil leaf, OF. foil, fuil, fueil, foille, fueille, F. feuille, fr. L. folium, pl. folia; akin to Gr. &unr_; , and perh. to E. blade. Cf. Foliage, Folio. ] 1. A leaf or very thin sheet of metal; as, brass foil; tin foil; gold foil. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Anything that serves by contrast of color or quality to adorn or set off another thing to advantage. [ 1913 Webster ]

As she a black silk cap on him began
To set, for foil of his milk-white to serve. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hector has a foil to set him off. Broome. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A thin coat of tin, with quicksilver, laid on the back of a looking-glass, to cause reflection. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foil stone, an imitation of a jewel or precious stone. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being foiled. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who foils or frustrates. Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Arch.) A foil. Simmonds. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. foulées. See 1st Foil. ] (Hunting) The track of game (as deer) in the grass. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. mille-feuille, L. millefolium; mille thousand + folium leaf. See Foil a leaf. ] (Bot.) A common composite herb (Achillea Millefolium) with white flowers and finely dissected leaves; yarrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

Water milfoil (Bot.), an aquatic herb with dissected leaves (Myriophyllum). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having more than five divisions or foils. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Multi- + foil. ] (Arch.) An ornamental foliation consisting of more than five divisions or foils. [ R. ] See Foil. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. perdere to lose + folium leaf. ] (Bot.) A deciduous plant; -- opposed to evergreen. J. Barton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Poly- + foil, n. ] (Arch.) Same as Multifoil. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Quadri- + L. folium leaf. ] (Bot.) Four-leaved; having the leaves in whorls of four. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Quarier + foil: cf. F. quatre. ] (Arch.) An ornamental foliation having four lobes, or foils. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ F. quatre feuilles. ] Same as Quarterfoil. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. sept seven (L. septem) + E. foil leaf: cf. L. septifolium. ] 1. (Bot.) A European herb, the tormentil. See Tormentil. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) An ornamental foliation having seven lobes. Cf. Cinquefoil, Quarterfoil, and Trefoil. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eccl.Art.) A typical figure, consisting of seven equal segments of a circle, used to denote the gifts of the Holy Chost, the seven sacraments as recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, etc. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Septfoil. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. tres three + E. foil leaf; cf. F. frèfle, It. trifoglio, L. trifolium. See Tri-, Foil leaf, and cf. Trifoly. ] 1. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Trifolium, which includes the white clover, red clover, etc.; -- less properly, applied also to the nonesuch, or black medic. See Clover, and Medic. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Arch.) An ornamental foliation consisting of three divisions, or foils. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Her.) A charge representing the clover leaf. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Same as Tréflé. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } (Bot.) The water violet (Hottonia palustris); also, the less showy American plant Hottonia inflata. [ 1913 Webster ]

(Bot.) Any plant of the genus Myriophyllum, aquatic herbs with whorled leaves, the submersed ones pinnately parted into capillary divisions. [ 1913 Webster ]