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
The ban, passed by the House of Representatives on March 13 and the Senate on Wednesday, was folded into a bill that would provide billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Moises Mendez Ii, TIME, 26 Apr. 2024 Then add remaining whites in three additions, folding them in until incorporated. Judy Bart Kancigor, Orange County Register, 25 Apr. 2024 There was, for a time, a genuine risk that the club, founded in 1885, several years before the invention of the zipper, might fold altogether. Rory Smith, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024 Sitting at a folding table laden with snacks, Dr. Jessica Holmes peered at the clinic’s schedule on her laptop. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2024 Trip jacket selection is an art and a science, best done elegantly, with attention paid to form, function, aesthetics and viability — as a pillow when folded into fourths or eighths on a long-haul flight. Goth Shakira, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024 For packing convenience, the fabric seat separates from the frame, which folds down to fit into a relatively compact 17-inch by 7-inch carrying sack. Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2024 Gilbert is sitting at a folding table inside a community center. Laura Trujillo, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024 More:Once stuck in places like Myanmar and Laos, refugee children kick-start education at MPS' Newcomer Center Celebrating students' own cultures Late in the morning, students folded down their poster boards and took seats to watch dance, choir and drumming performances, as well as a fashion show. Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Noun
That represents a dramatic change for Tesla’s future, which is likely to have an effect on who decides to hold their shares or fold. William Gavin, Quartz, 23 Apr. 2024 My father is the only one of us who has remained fully in the evangelical Christian fold. Annika Pham, Variety, 15 Apr. 2024 With Kepa likely headed back to England, and his loan deal not made permanent, Lunin will be a firm number two in the Spanish capital as a budding La Fabrica academy graduate is perhaps boosted to the senior fold to keep Lunin and Courtois on their toes moving forward. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024 Mesotherapy Popularly used to target facial wrinkles and folds, injectables are a buzzword in skincare. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 28 Mar. 2024 Plus, the stroller has a one-step fold, and attaching and detaching the car seat is a breeze. Maya Polton, Parents, 27 Mar. 2024 At one point in the meeting, Donilon presented Sanders with polling data that gave an optimistic take on the 2024 election, suggesting that many voters skeptical of Biden would eventually come back into the Democratic fold before November, the people said. Jeff Stein, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Positions are won out there; some guys attack it and do a great job and some guys just flat out fold. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024 Follow-up testing was recommended if this fold was thicker than 3mm, because too much thickness there might or might not mean chromosomal or structural abnormalities that might or might not be incompatible with life. Clare Beams, Vogue, 5 Apr. 2024

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 30 Apr. 2024.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!