fold

1 of 5

verb (1)

folded; folding; folds

transitive verb

1
: to lay one part over another part of
fold a letter
2
: to reduce the length or bulk of by doubling over
fold a tent
3
: to clasp together : entwine
fold the hands
4
: to clasp or enwrap closely : embrace
5
a
: to incorporate (a food ingredient) into a mixture by repeated gentle overturnings without stirring or beating
b
: to incorporate closely
6
a
: to concede defeat by withdrawing (one's cards) from play (as in poker)
b
: to bring to an end
7
: to bend (something, such as a layer of rock) into folds

intransitive verb

1
: to become doubled or pleated
2
: to fail completely : collapse
especially : to go out of business
3
: to fold one's cards (as in poker)

fold

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a part doubled or laid over another part : pleat
2
: a crease made by folding something (such as a newspaper)
3
: something that is folded together or that enfolds
4
a
: a bend or flexure produced in rock by forces operative after the depositing or consolidation of the rock
b
chiefly British : an undulation in the landscape
5
: a margin apparently formed by the doubling upon itself of a flat anatomical structure (such as a membrane)

Illustration of fold

Illustration of fold
  • fold 4a

fold

3 of 5

noun (2)

1
a
: a group of people or institutions that share a common faith, belief, activity, or enthusiasm
His former colleagues would be glad to welcome him back into the fold.
b
: a flock of sheep
2
: an enclosure for sheep

fold

4 of 5

verb (2)

folded; folding; folds

transitive verb

: to pen up or confine (sheep) in a fold

-fold

5 of 5

suffix

1
: multiplied by (a specified number) : times
in adjectives
a sixfold increase
and adverbs
repay you tenfold
2
: having (so many) parts
threefold aspect of the problem

Examples of fold in a Sentence

Suffix It will repay you tenfold.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Large language models have traditionally not been able to fold the latest information into their results. David Phelan, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023 Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate; fold edges under, and crimp. Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2023 However, five of those ventures — three trucking companies, a limo service, and a gas station and truck stop — had folded within a decade, according to incorporation records in New Jersey. Marina Dias, Washington Post, 27 Nov. 2023 One of Joe Biden’s first acts as President, in 2021, was to reverse course again and return the U.S. to the Paris fold. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2023 The interior of this suitcase boasts one zippered half with a cross strap on the other half to keep your clothes neatly folded and in place during your journey. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Nov. 2023 To fold, press on the top or the sides of the tent to bend the poles into a circular shape, resulting in a flattened tent. Tanya Edwards, Parents, 25 Nov. 2023 Tons of patio furniture like this four-piece rattan set, folding Adirondack chair, and wicker hanging egg chair are fun additions to your deck for additional seating options. Allison Faccenda, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Nov. 2023 The packaging itself is part of the calendar, with a wintry scene that can be folded down and set on a table for display. Sarah Bradley, Parents, 16 Nov. 2023
Noun
This all-terrain stroller didn’t weigh me down (which my aching back seriously appreciates), has the easiest one-handed fold, and is a seriously smooth ride. Lauren Levy, Parents, 27 Nov. 2023 The manner in which faith becomes works in politics, however, can be like an intricate knot, with many folds. Michael Luo, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2023 These folds are ready to flatten out and expand whenever the stomach has to relax and make room for incoming meals. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2023 The quake’s mysterious source, Fernando and his co-authors posit, lies perhaps 20 kilometers below the surface, stemming from faults and folds that form in the planet’s slowly shrinking crust. Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023 And Get This Folding Board This Folding Board effortlessly creates uniform and neat folds. Hannah Rice, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2023 Even the box is hitting all the right nostalgia buttons, replicating almost perfectly the exact look of a 360 box, right down to those frustrating side folds. Ash Parrish, The Verge, 8 Sep. 2023 Available in white, brown and mint green, this little gem folds perfectly into itself for traveling light. Meredith Woerner, Variety, 10 Oct. 2023 They Fall also welcomed an exciting new filmmaking face to the cinematic fold in local London boy Jeymes Samuel, the debut director previously better known by his singer/songwriter and music producer moniker The Bullitts. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fold.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English, from Old English fealdan; akin to Old High German faldan to fold, Greek diplasios twofold

Noun (2) and Verb (2)

Middle English, from Old English falod; akin to Old Saxon faled enclosure

Suffix

Middle English, from Old English -feald; akin to Old High German -falt -fold, Latin -plex, -plus, Old English fealdan

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fold was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near fold

Cite this Entry

“Fold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fold. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

fold

1 of 5 noun
1
: a pen for sheep
2
: a group of people with a common faith or interest

fold

2 of 5 verb
: to shut up in a fold

fold

3 of 5 verb
1
: to lay one part over or against another part
fold a letter
birds folding their wings
2
: to clasp together
fold the hands
3
4
: to bend (as a layer of rock) into folds
5
: to add (a food ingredient) to a mixture by gently and repeatedly lifting one part over another
6
: to become doubled or pleated
7
: to fail completely
the business folded

fold

4 of 5 noun
1
: a doubling or folding over
2
: a part doubled or laid over another part
3
: a bend produced in rock

-fold

5 of 5 suffix
ˌfōld,
ˈfōld
1
: multiplied by (a specified number) : times
in adjectives
a twelvefold increase
and adverbs
repay you tenfold
2
: having (so many) parts
a threefold problem
Etymology

Noun

Old English falod "pen for sheep"

Verb

Old English fealdan "to fold, make double thickness"

Suffix

Old English -feald (suffix) "being increased (so many) times"

Medical Definition

fold

1 of 2 intransitive verb
: to become doubled or pleated

fold

2 of 2 noun
: a margin apparently formed by the doubling upon itself of a flat anatomical structure (as a membrane)

More from Merriam-Webster on fold

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