Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A thin, pliable sheet of aluminum or of tin-lead alloy, used as a protective wrapping.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun a thin, pliable sheet of
tin or analloy of tin andlead , used as aprotective wrapping - noun
aluminium foil
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun foil made of tin or an alloy of tin and lead
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
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Examples
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How about I give you $2.50 and you wrap me in tinfoil?
The Riddle of Latex! Reis O'Brien 2010
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Or where we wonder if his tinfoil is wound too tight?
Think Progress » Ed Schultz Tells Robert Gibbs He’s ‘Full Of Sh*t’ And ‘You’re Losing Your Base’ 2010
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Nice fresh Alaskan salmon on the grill in tinfoil, drizzled with soy sauce, sprinkled with lemon pepper, topped with elephant garlic and fresh slices of lemon ... oh yes, half the lemon is squeezed all over it, other spices you may see fit.
Wild Game dishes 2009
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Nice fresh Alaskan salmon on the grill in tinfoil, drizzled with soy sauce, sprinkled with lemon pepper, topped with elephant garlic and fresh slices of lemon ... oh yes, half the lemon is squeezed all over it, other spices you may see fit.
Wild Game dishes 2009
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I thought he was just covering the inside bottom of the remote in tinfoil, rather than making a reflective backboard. brianhatch
Use Tinfoil To Boost Your Remote Control’s Range | Lifehacker Australia 2009
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Or freshly caught trout wrapped in tinfoil and thrown in the fire when you are camping (and hungry).
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Wired News has a nice little gallery up from the Alien Abduction festival on Toronto's Queen Street West last week -- local merchants offered classes in tinfoil beanie manufacture, and "probing 101" (from the local sex-positive sex-shop).
Boing Boing 2008
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I'm so glad I cornered the market in tinfoil well before the hats came out.
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I just wrapped the grip of my key in tinfoil to jam the transponder.
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Kooks in tinfoil hats say things like, “But with your Neanderthal leader at the helm, we†™ re rapidly leaving civilization behind and are slumping back into some weird proto-fascist swamp.”
arby commented on the word tinfoil
My BF refuses to admit that this word is real. I'm like, "Aluminum foil, tinfoil, get it?" but no, he's never heard it called that by anyone except me. I wonder if it's a regional thing? California vs. Southern (I'm from NYC but my parents are from VA and TN).
July 13, 2007
slumry commented on the word tinfoil
In the past, lots of people called it tinfoil. I had assumed that "tinfoil" referred to some earlier version of the foil we use. My guess that tinfoil has more to do with generations than regions, but I could be wrong.
July 13, 2007
arby commented on the word tinfoil
Ack, he's right! (You are too.) Not that tinfoil is not a word but that tinfoil and aluminum foil are not the same. Wikipedia sez (under aluminum foil):
Foil made from a thin leaf of tin was commercially available before the aluminium counterpart. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, tin foil was in common use, and some people continue to refer to the new product by the name of the old one. Tin foil is stiffer than aluminium foil.
July 13, 2007
slumry commented on the word tinfoil
At least you are right in saying that you are not the only one who calls it that!
July 13, 2007
arby commented on the word tinfoil
Small consolation - I'd rather be in the right minority than the wrong majority! - but thank you anyway :)
July 13, 2007
arby commented on the word tinfoil
AND to add insult to injury, it's entirely possible that I am misremembering his position and he does not deny the existence of the word but merely its application to aluminum foil!! I'll have to ask.
July 13, 2007
reesetee commented on the word tinfoil
Oh, what the heck, arby--get that guy on Wordie and we'll duke it out. ;-)
July 13, 2007
john commented on the word tinfoil
The real question is, which is the better hat material? You know, to protect you from the government rays?
Ohmygod... what if tinfoil hats protect you, and aluminum foil hats do *nothing at all*. Would explain the disappearance of tin foil, no?
Maybe I've been wearing this dumb hat for years for no purpose whatsoever.
July 13, 2007
slumry commented on the word tinfoil
Oh my gosh--hope you don't have any fillings, or you are in deep doodoo!
July 13, 2007
reesetee commented on the word tinfoil
I think you're safe, John, as long as you don't eat your hat.
July 13, 2007