English Dictionary

Definition of “fold”

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1fold1 (fəʊldPronunciation for fold1) 

Definitions

verb

  1. to bend or be bent double so that one part covers another  ⇒ to fold a sheet of paper 
  2. (tr) to bring together and intertwine (the arms, legs, etc)  ⇒ she folded her hands 
  3. (tr) (of birds, insects, etc) to close (the wings) together from an extended position
  4. (tr; often foll by up or in) to enclose in or as if in a surrounding material
  5. (tr) in to clasp (a person) in the arms
  6. (tr) round, about, etc to wind (around); entwine
  7. (tr) poetic to cover completely  ⇒ night folded the earth 
  8. fold in(tr) to mix (a whisked mixture) with other ingredients by gently turning one part over the other with a spoon
  9. to produce a bend (in stratified rock) or (of stratified rock) to display a bend
  10. (intr) up informal to collapse; fail  ⇒ the business folded 

noun

  1. a piece or section that has been folded  ⇒ a fold of cloth 
  2. a mark, crease, or hollow made by folding
  3. a hollow in undulating terrain
  4. a bend in stratified rocks that results from movements within the earth's crust and produces such structures as anticlines and synclines
  5. anatomy another word for plica (sense 1)
  6. a coil, as in a rope, etc
  7. an act of folding

See also

fold up

Alternative Forms

ˈfoldable adjective

Word Origin

Old English fealdan ; related to Old Norse falda  , Old High German faldan , Latin duplus  double, Greek haploos simple

2fold2 (fəʊldPronunciation for fold2) 

Definitions

noun

    1. a small enclosure or pen for sheep or other livestock, where they can be gathered
    2. the sheep or other livestock gathered in such an enclosure
    3. a flock of sheep
    4. a herd of Highland cattle
  2. a church or the members of it
  3. any group or community sharing a way of life or holding the same values

verb

  1. (tr) to gather or confine (sheep or other livestock) in a fold

Word Origin

Old English falod ; related to Old Saxon faled , Middle Dutch vaelt

-fold

Definitions

suffix forming adjectives suffix forming adverbs

  1. having so many parts, being so many times as much or as many, or multiplied by so much or so many  ⇒ threefold three-hundredfold 

Word Origin

Old English -fald , -feald

Translations

  • British English: fold Pronunciation for fold A fold in a piece of paper or cloth is a bend that you make in it when you put one part of it over another part and press the edge.Make another fold and turn the ends together.fəʊld NOUN Make another fold and turn the ends together.
  • Spanish: pliegue Pronunciation for pliegue nm
  • French: pli Pronunciation for pli nm
  • German: Falte Pronunciation for Falte nf
  • Chinese: 折痕Pronunciation for 折痕 n
  • Arabic: طَيّPronunciation for طَيّ n
  • Portuguese: dobraPronunciation for dobra nf
  • Russian: складкаPronunciation for складка nf
  • Croatian: preklopPronunciation for preklop nm
  • Czech: ohybPronunciation for ohyb nm
  • Danish: foldPronunciation for fold nutr
  • Dutch: vouwPronunciation for vouw n
  • Finnish: taitosPronunciation for taitos n
  • Greek: πτυχήPronunciation for πτυχή nf
  • Italian: piegaPronunciation for piega nf
  • Japanese: 囲いPronunciation for 囲い n
  • Korean: 접은 자리Pronunciation for 접은 자리 n
  • Norwegian: brettekantPronunciation for brettekant nm
  • Polish: fałdaPronunciation for fałda nf
  • Brazilian Portuguese: dobraPronunciation for dobra nf
  • European Spanish: pliegue Pronunciation for pliegue nm
  • Swedish: veckPronunciation for veck nnt
  • Thai: ฝูงแกะPronunciation for ฝูงแกะ n
  • Turkish: katPronunciation for kat n
  • Vietnamese: nếp gấpPronunciation for nếp gấp n
  • British English: fold Pronunciation for fold If you fold something such as a piece of paper or cloth, you bend it so that one part covers another part, often pressing the edge so that it stays in place.He folded the paper carefully.fəʊld VERB He folded the paper carefully.
  • Spanish: plegar Pronunciation for plegar v
  • French: plier Pronunciation for plier vt
  • German: falten Pronunciation for falten v
  • Chinese: 折叠Pronunciation for 折叠 vt
  • Arabic: يَطْويPronunciation for يَطْوي vt
  • Portuguese: dobrarPronunciation for dobrar vt
  • Russian: складыватьPronunciation for складывать vt
  • Croatian: preklopitiPronunciation for preklopiti v
  • Czech: přeložitPronunciation for přeložit vt překládat
  • Danish: foldePronunciation for folde v
  • Dutch: vouwenPronunciation for vouwen vt
  • Finnish: taittaaPronunciation for taittaa v
  • Greek: διπλώνωPronunciation for διπλώνω v
  • Italian: piegarePronunciation for piegare v
  • Japanese: 折りたたむPronunciation for 折りたたむ v
  • Korean: ...을 접다Pronunciation for ...을 접다 vt
  • Norwegian: foldePronunciation for folde v
  • Polish: złożyćPronunciation for złożyć vt składać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: dobrarPronunciation for dobrar vt
  • European Spanish: plegar Pronunciation for plegar v
  • Swedish: vikaPronunciation for vika vt
  • Thai: พับPronunciation for พับ vt
  • Turkish: katlamakPronunciation for katlamak vt
  • Vietnamese: gấpPronunciation for gấp v

Usage examples

  • The upshot of that was, they asked if I'd like to return to the fold.
    Forbes, Bryan, The Endless Game (1986)
  • Its wings, stabilisation fins and propeller fold back into its fuselage.
    New Scientist (1998)
  • But Lizzie decided to seize the opportunity to personally welcome our new CEO into the fold.
    Globe and Mail (2003)
  • I've just got two wee scars in the natural fold underneath my breasts.
    Belfast Telegraph (2003)
  • Immediately the sides of the shoe-box began to fold over by themselves.
    Van de Castle, Robert L., Our Dreaming Mind (1994)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'F'

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