Like any industry, the foil industry has developed its own language. Below is a glossary of the more common words. If you know of others please let us know. Even if you don't know what they mean we will get a "Translation".

Blind Embossing :This is the process of putting a raised pattern into a paper or board, but not using foil. The area remains the same colour as the surrounding areas.
Blocking :The process of foiling has come to be known as blocking, or hot blocking. Taken from the fact that it uses blocks or dies to achieve the image.
Blooming :The dull or rainbow marks that appear in a foil when the temperature is too hot.
Caption :Refers to the type of blocking area to be foiled. Mainly used in the greeting card industry.
Cold Foil : A foil used in the cold or dieless foiling operation. Predominately used in the label industry.
Corona Treatment : A process of improving the surface receptivity to another process. see Sherman Treaters
Counter force :The male die that locates on the make ready to emboss into the "female" embossing die.
Creasing :This is literally creases in the foil that become visible on the foiled area. They can be caused by the tension on the machine or even by the foil supplier reeling the foil badly.
Decals : Another name used for "transfers". Pre-printed images on the polyester film. The are used exactly like a conventional foil, but require a registration mark to position correctly.
Dieless : Simply, foiling without using a die. It can mean fabric or label foiling using an adhesive prior to applying the foil, or sublimation foiling using a photocopy toner as an adhesive. These methods use special foils. ( Foilco have a range available)
Dyne Level : A way of testing the surface tension for its receptivity to another process. Normally, foil likes to adhere to a surface measuring 38-40 dynes, but can go lower.
Fluting :The name given to foil embossing Taken from the fact the that the dies have a "flute" or ridge cut in them to produce the depth.
Gassing :Refers to foiled areas that have irregular and various holes that appear on a job. They are always towards the middle of the job and never on the edge. Generally caused by the surface of the substrate reacting with the heat of the die and a gas resulting. This Gas cannot escape and burst through the foil.
Graphic :The industry that incorporates printers, whether Labels, Greeting Cards, Cartons or General Print.
Heat Marks :Dull marks or lines that appear in the foil after foiling. Generally caused by the foil getting to near the heat prior to foiling of the temperature being to hot for the foil. Some foils have a special heat resistant lacquer to prevent this.
Inmold Foiling : This is a method of transferring the foil while it is in the injection mold tool. It is limited to very shallow items, and is expensive to set up. Used on mobile phone covers.
Joins :Can apply to either the lines seen in a holographic foil, or the method of joining foil together in a roll by the supplier.
Key :The bond achieved between the foil and the substrate.
Make-ready :This is the preparation done to the machine "bed" or base in order to aide the foiling. It has also come to mean the materials used on the machine bed to protect the dies from damage and aide the foiling.
Missing :Used in many situations but most correctly used when part, but not all, of the foil image is "missing". 
Offset :The result of  bits of foil on the edge of the foiled area sticking to the substrate above or next to it when stacked. Most often seen when a tacky varnish is on the substrate.
Picking :This can mean either the foil is lifting off in small areas during another process (i.e. overprinting) or small areas of no transfer during foiling.
Pin holing :Most correctly used to describe a hole which appears in the foil. This can be seen prior to using the foil when held up to the light. Sometimes used when Gassing is a more accurate description.
Preheat :When the foil is expose to any  substantial heat before foiling, they will react. Either by transferring whilst in the roll, or by dulling and changing the foil workability.
Release :This is the coating that is applied to the polyester to allow the aluminium to release and stick to the substrate. They can be called easy, tight, clean release. each referring to its properties.
Relief :The area within a foiled solid where a text or image is "relieved out". 
Scratches :Marks that appear in the foil. Most commonly a manufacturing fault, but can be the result of the feed on the foil machine. i.e.. A blemish on the smooth turner bar.
Shims :The thin embossing plate used to produce the pattern in a holographic foil.
Silvering :The evidence of silver showing through a metallic colour. Caused by the brittle nature of the foil.
Solid :Any area which is large enough not to be described as a frame or text.
Stereo :Another name given to a silicon die.
Sublimation :This is used in connection with "Toner" foils. Foils that require no adhesive but use the toner from a photocopy machine as an adhesive.
Substrate :The material which is to be foiled. Whether plastic, fabric or graphic.
Wax Layer :The layer in a foil that enables the body foil to release. See also "Release Layer".