-fold

¹ American  

1. a native English suffix meaning “of so many parts,” or denoting multiplication by the number indicated by the stem or word to which the suffix is attached.

   twofold; manifold.

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fold ² American  

[fohld] / foʊld /

noun

1. an enclosure for sheep or, occasionally, other domestic animals.

2. the sheep kept within it.

3. a flock of sheep.

4. a church.

5. the members of a church; congregation.

   He preached to the fold.

6. a group sharing common beliefs, values, etc..

   He rejoined the fold after his youthful escapade.

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verb (used with object)

1. to confine (sheep or other domestic animals) in a fold.

fold ³ American  

[fohld] / foʊld /

verb (used with object)

1. to bend (cloth, paper, etc.) over upon itself.

2. to bring into a compact form by bending and laying parts together (often followed byup ).

   to fold up a map; to fold one's legs under oneself.

3. to bring (the arms, hands, etc.) together in an intertwined or crossed manner; cross; entwine.

   He folded his arms on his chest.

4. to bend or wind (usually followed by about, round, etc.).

   to fold one's arms about a person's neck.

5. to bring (the wings) close to the body, as a bird on alighting.

6. to enclose; wrap; envelop.

   to fold something in paper.

7. to embrace or clasp; enfold.

   to fold someone in one's arms.

8. Cards.  to place (one's cards) facedown so as to withdraw from the play.

9. Informal.  to bring to an end; close up.

   The owner decided to fold the business and retire.

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verb (used without object)

1. to be folded or be capable of folding.

   The doors fold back.

2. Cards.  to place one's cards facedown so as to withdraw from the play.

3. Informal.  to fail in business; be forced to close.

   The newspaper folded after 76 years.

4. Informal.  to yield or give in.

   Dad folded and said we could go after all.

noun

1. a part that is folded; pleat; layer.

   folds of cloth.

2. a crease made by folding.

   He cut the paper along the fold.

3. a hollow made by folding.

   to carry something in the fold of one's dress.

4. a hollow place in undulating ground.

   a fold of the mountains.

5. Geology.  a portion of strata that is folded or bent, as an anticline or syncline, or that connects two horizontal or parallel portions of strata of different levels (as a monocline).

6. Journalism.

   1. the line formed along the horizontal center of a standard-sized newspaper when it is folded after printing.

   2. a rough-and-ready dividing line, especially on the front page and other principal pages, between stories of primary and lesser importance.

7. a coil of a serpent, string, etc.

8. the act of folding or doubling over.

9. Anatomy.  a margin or ridge formed by the folding of a membrane or other flat body part; plica.

verb phrase

1. fold up

   1. to break down; collapse.

      He folded up when the prosecutor discredited his story.

   2. to fail, especially to go out of business.

2. fold in  to mix in or add (an ingredient) by gently turning one part over another.

   Fold in the egg whites.

fold ¹ British  

/ fəʊld /

noun

1. 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

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verb

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

fold ² British  

/ fəʊld /

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. to clasp (a person) in the arms

6. to wind (around); entwine

7. poetic  (tr) to cover completely

   night folded the earth

8. Also: 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. informal  to collapse; fail

    the business folded

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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

6. a coil, as in a rope, etc

7. an act of folding

-fold ³ British  

suffix

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

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fold Scientific  

/ fōld /

1. A bend in a layer of rock or in another planar feature such as foliation or the cleavage of a mineral. Folds occur as the result of deformation, usually associated with plate-tectonic forces.

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fold Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing fold

• return to the fold

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Usage

What does -fold mean? The combining form -fold is used like a suffix meaning “of so many parts.” It can also denote multiplication by the number indicated by the first part of the word. It is occasionally used in technical terms.The form -fold comes from Middle English. The Latin equivalent is -plex, meaning “folded,” which is the source of terms such as duplex and multiplex. Find out more at our entries for both words.

Other Word Forms

• foldable adjective

Etymology

Origin of -fold¹

Middle English; Old English -fald, -feald, cognate with Old Frisian, Old Saxon -fald, German -falt, Old Norse -faldr, Gothic -falths, all representing the Germanic base of fold ¹; akin to Greek -ploos, -plous ( haplo-, diplo- ), Latin -plus ( simple, double, etc.), -plex -plex

Origin of fold¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English fold, fald, feld “sheepfold,” Old English fald, falod, falud “sheepfold, ox stall, stable”; akin to Old Saxon faled “pen, enclosure,” Middle Low German vaalt “pen, enclosure, manure heap,” Middle Dutch vaelt, vaelde

Origin of fold¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb folden, falden, faulden, Old English fealdan, faldan; cognate with Gothic falthan, Old Norse falda, German falten; akin to Latin plicāre “to fold,” plectere to plait, twine,” Greek plékein “to braid, knit”; plait; -fold

Example Sentences

Morgan is out of contract with Ospreys at the end of the 2025-26 season, and previously said he would leave professional rugby in Wales if they fold.

From BBC

Fold a touch of Greek yogurt into hand-whipped cream: the yogurt keeps it airy and adds a subtle tang that cuts through sweetness, creating tension on the tongue.

From Salon

As Russell Payne reported for Salon in October, groups that formed to target progressives for abuse after Kirk’s death have already started to fold.

From Salon

On Saturday, the Rams moved to keep Landman in the fold for the future, signing him to a three-year contract extension, the team announced.

From Los Angeles Times

To make matters even more bewildering, “Wicked” was just shy of three hours itself, meaning that there was already space to condense the musical’s choppy second act, removing weaker moments and bringing the remaining, better elements into the fold for an extended “Wicked” movie that would undoubtedly attract moviegoers regardless of the runtime.

From Salon

Related Words

• bend
• crimp
• curl
• knit
• tuck