Emily Dickinson Lexicon

FOIL, v.t. [In Norm. afolee is rendered crippled; and afoula, damaged, wasted. If the primary or true literal sense is, to blunt, this word may be from the same root as fool; if to render vain, it would naturally be allied to fail.]

1. To frustrate; to defeat; to render vain or nugatory, as an effort or attempt. The enemy attempted to pass the river, but was foiled. He foiled his adversaries. And by a mortal man at length, am foiled. Dryden.
2. To blunt; to dull. When light wing'd toys / Of feathered Cupid foil. Shak.
3. To defeat; to interrupt, or to render imperceptible; as, to foil the scent in a chase. Addison.

FOIL'A-BLE, a.

That may be foiled. Cotgrave.

FOIL'ED, pp.

Frustrated; defeated.

FOIL'ER, n.

One who frustrates another, and gains an advantage himself.

FOIL'ING, n.

Among hunters, the slight mark of a passing deer on the grass. Chalmers.

FOIL'ING, ppr.

Defeating; frustrating; disappointing of success.

FOIN, n.

A push; a thrust. Robinson.

FOIN, v.t. [Fr. poindre, to sting, to dawn; L. pungo. The sense is to push, thrust, shoot.]

1. To push in fencing. Spenser.
2. To prick; to sting. [Not in use.]

FOIN'ING, ppr.

Pushing; thrusting.

FOIN'ING-LY, adv.

In a pushing manner.

FOIS'ON, n. [L. fusio.]

Plenty; abundance. [Not used.] Tusser.

FOIST, n.

A light and fast sailing ship. [Obs.] Beaum.

FOIST, v.t. [Usually supposed to be from Fr. fausser, to violate, literally, to falsify; Norm. fauser. This is doubtful.]

To insert surreptitiously, wrongfully, or without warrant. Lest negligence or partiality might admit or foist in abuses and corruption. Carew.

FOIST'ED, pp.

Inserted wrongfully.

FOIST'ER, n.

One who inserts without authority.

FOIST'I-ED, a.

Mustied. [See Fusty.]

FOIST'I-NESS, n.

Fustiness, – which see.

FOIST'ING, ppr.

Inserting surreptitiously or without authority.

FOIST'Y, a.

Fusty, – which see.

FOLD, n.¹ [Sax. fald, falde; W. fald; Ir. fal, a fold, a wall or hedge; Dan. fold. See the verb, to fold.]

1. A pen or inclosure for sheep; a place where a flock of sheep is kept, whether in the field or under shelter.
2. A flock of sheep. Hence in a scriptural sense, the church, the flock of the Shepherd of Israel. Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. John x.
3. A limit. [Not in use.]

FOLD, n.² [Sax. feald; Sw. fåll; G. falte; Russ. phalda; but the same word as the preceding.]

1. The doubling of any flexible substance, as cloth; complication; a plait; one part turned or bent and laid on another; as, a fold of linen.
2. In composition, the same quantity added; as, two fold, fourfold, ten fold, that is, twice as much, four times as much, ten times as much.

FOLD, v.i.

To close over another of the same kind; as, the leaves of the door fold.

FOLD, v.t. [Sax. fealdan; Goth. faldan; G. falten; Dan. folder; Sw. fålla. Qu. Heb. כפל, Ch. קפל, to double. Class Bl, No. 47, 51. See also No. 22. The primary sense is to fix, or to lay, to set, throw or press together.]

1. To double; to lap or lay in plaits; as, to fold a piece of cloth.
2. To double and insert one part in another; as, to fold a letter.
3. To double or lay together, as the arms. He folds his arms in despair.
4. To confine sheep in a fold.

FOLD-AGE, n.

The right of folding sheep.

FOLD-ED, pp.

Doubled; laid in plaits; complicated; kept in a fold.