Thread: Как сказать "to act as a foil to sb"

for example: Those desperate housewfies' husbands act as a foil

for the record in French, it is "un faire-valoir". Son mari est un faire-valoir

Валять дурака - to play the fool.

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

Валять дурака - to play the fool.

thx for your answer but I'm not sure I understand your shade of meaning.

is there not a noun in Russian, just like "un faire-valoir" is a noun in French

Originally Posted by Mordan

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

Валять дурака - to play the fool.

thx for your answer but I'm not sure I understand your shade of meaning.

is there not a noun in Russian, just like "un faire-valoir" is a noun in French

Lingvo:
faire-valoir
1) извлечение дохода (из угодий) faire-valoir direct — обработка земли самим владельцем
2) помощник; второстепенное лицо, оттеняющее роль главного

не валяй дурака америка!! america dont act like a fool!

Lingvo:
Her husband's steadiness acts as a foil to her impetuousness. — Уравновешенность ее мужа выступает контрастом порывистости ее характера

Originally Posted by Guin

Originally Posted by Mordan

Originally Posted by Dogboy182

Валять дурака - to play the fool.

thx for your answer but I'm not sure I understand your shade of meaning.

is there not a noun in Russian, just like "un faire-valoir" is a noun in French

Lingvo:
faire-valoir
1) извлечение дохода (из угодий) faire-valoir direct — обработка земли самим владельцем
2) помощник; второстепенное лицо, оттеняющее роль главного

which dictionnary can translate French words like that? Lingvo right. But is there an url or you are using a hand held device?

это второстепенное лицо, оттеняющее роль главного спасибо

Originally Posted by Mordan

which dictionnary can translate French words like that? Lingvo right. But is there an url or you are using a hand held device?

это второстепенное лицо, оттеняющее роль главного спасибо

I have Lingvo both on my PC and on the PDA. But you can also access the Lingvo Online service on the offitial site. The result will be the same.