1. A moral weakness; a failing; a weak point; a frailty.
A disposition radically noble and generous, clouded and overshadowed by superficial foibles.
De Quincey. 2. The half of a sword blade or foil blade nearest the point; — opposed to forte. [Written also faible.]
Syn. — Fault; imperfection; failing; weakness; infirmity; frailty; defect. See Fault.
Foil
(Foil) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Foiled (foild); 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.
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.
Foil
(Foil), v. t. [See 6th File.] To defile; to soil. [Obs.]
Foil
(Foil), n.
1. Failure of success when on the point of attainment; defeat; frustration; miscarriage. Milton.
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.
Foil
(Foil), n. [OE. foil leaf, OF. foil, fuil, fueil, foille, fueille, F. feuille, fr. L. folium, pl. folia; akin to
Gr. , and perh. to E. blade. Cf. Foliage, Folio.]
1. A leaf or very thin sheet of metal; as, brass foil; tin foil; gold foil.
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.
