What does “foil of” mean?
At last we passed a stationer's, and it occurred to me that I might as well buy some paper. It would be an excuse to be rid of him.
I shrugged my shoulders, and went into the shop. I reflected that French paper was bad, and that, foiled of my purpose, I need not burden myself with a purchase I did not need. I asked for something I knew could not be provided, and in a minute came out into the street.
Excerpt from The Moon and Sixpence
W Somerset Maugham
The narrator ran into Strickland on the street one day, who offered to walk along with the narrator. The narrator disliked Strickland but the latter insisted on going with the former. So they walk together silently. And when they passed a stationer’s, the narrator thought of an excuse to get rid of Strickland.
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Top answer
The book was written a hundred years ago. The style of language was Victorian or Edwardian, a formal kind of language that we do not use any more. To foil is to prevent from achieving something.
- The book was written a hundred years ago.
- The style of language was Victorian or Edwardian, a formal kind of language that we do not use any more.
- To foil is to prevent from achieving something.
- The narrator had a purpose in mind, but something prevented him from achieving it.
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The book was written a hundred years ago. The style of language was Victorian or Edwardian, a formal kind of language that we do not use any more.
To foil is to prevent from achieving something. The narrator had a purpose in mind, but something prevented him from achieving it.
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