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.
Foilable
(Foil"a*ble) a. Capable of being foiled.
Foiler
(Foil"er) n. One who foils or frustrates. Johnson.
Foiling
(Foil"ing), n. (Arch.) A foil. Simmonds.
Foiling
(Foil"ing), n. [Cf. F. foulées. See 1st Foil.] (Hunting) The track of game (as deer) in the grass.
Foin
(Foin) n. [F. fouine a marten.]
1. (Zoöl.) The beech marten See Marten.
2. A kind of fur, black at the top on a whitish ground, taken from the ferret or weasel of the same name.[Obs.]
He came to the stake in a fair black gown furred and faced with foins.
Fuller. Foin
(Foin), v. i. [OE. foinen, foignen; of uncertain origin; cf. dial. F. fouiner to push for eels with a
spear, fr. F. fouine an eelspear, perh. fr. L. fodere to dig, thrust.] To thrust with a sword or spear; to
lunge. [Obs.]
He stroke, he soused, he foynd, he hewed, he lashed.
Spenser.
They lash, they foin, they pass, they strive to bore
Their corselets, and the thinnest parts explore.
Dryden. Foin
(Foin), v. t. To prick; to st?ng. [Obs.] Huloet.
Foin
(Foin), n. A pass in fencing; a lunge. [Obs.] Shak.
Foinery
(Foin"er*y) n. Thrusting with the foil; fencing with the point, as distinguished from broadsword
play. [Obs.] Marston.
Foiningly
(Foin"ing*ly) adv. With a push or thrust. [Obs.]
Foison
(Foi"son) n. [F. foison, fr. L. fusio a pouring, effusion. See Fusion.] Rich harvest; plenty; abundance.
[Archaic] Lowell.
That from the seedness the bare fallow brings
To teeming foison.
Shak. Foist
(Foist) n. [OF. fuste stick, boat, fr. L. fustis cudgel. Cf. 1st Fust.] A light and fast-sailing ship.
[Obs.] Beau. & Fl.