dictionary definitions for "fold"


From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fold \Fold\, n. [OE. fald, fold, AS. fald, falod.]
     1. An inclosure for sheep; a sheep pen.
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              Leaps o'er the fence with ease into the fold.
                                                    --Milton.
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     2. A flock of sheep; figuratively, the Church or a church;
        as, Christ's fold.
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              There shall be one fold and one shepherd. --John x.
                                                    16.
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              The very whitest lamb in all my fold. --Tennyson.
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     3. A boundary; a limit. [Obs.] --Creech.
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     Fold yard, an inclosure for sheep or cattle.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fold \Fold\, v. i.
     To become folded, plaited, or doubled; to close over another
     of the same kind; to double together; as, the leaves of the
     door fold. --1 Kings vi. 34.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fold \Fold\, n. [From Fold, v. In sense 2 AS. -feald, akin to
     fealdan to fold.]
     1. A doubling,esp. of any flexible substance; a part laid
        over on another part; a plait; a plication.
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              Mummies . . . shrouded in a number of folds of
              linen.                                --Bacon.
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              Folds are most common in the rocks of mountainous
              regions.                              --J. D. Dana.
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     2. Times or repetitions; -- used with numerals, chiefly in
        composition, to denote multiplication or increase in a
        geometrical ratio, the doubling, tripling, etc., of
        anything; as, fourfold, four times, increased in a
        quadruple ratio, multiplied by four.
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     3. That which is folded together, or which infolds or
        envelops; embrace.
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              Shall from your neck unloose his amorous fold.
                                                    --Shak.
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     Fold net, a kind of net used in catching birds.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fold \Fold\ (f[=o]ld), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Folded; p. pr. &
     vb. n. Folding.] [OE. folden, falden, AS. fealdan; akin to
     OHG. faltan, faldan, G. falten, Icel. falda, Dan. folde, Sw.
     f[*a]lla, Goth. fal[thorn]an, cf. Gr. di-pla`sios twofold,
     Skr. pu[.t]a a fold. Cf. Fauteuil.]
     1. To lap or lay in plaits or folds; to lay one part over
        another part of; to double; as, to fold cloth; to fold a
        letter.
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              As a vesture shalt thou fold them up. --Heb. i. 12.
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     2. To double or lay together, as the arms or the hands; as,
        he folds his arms in despair.
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     3. To inclose within folds or plaitings; to envelop; to
        infold; to clasp; to embrace.
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              A face folded in sorrow.              --J. Webster.
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              We will descend and fold him in our arms. --Shak.
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     4. To cover or wrap up; to conceal.
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              Nor fold my fault in cleanly coined excuses. --Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fold \Fold\, v. t.
     To confine in a fold, as sheep.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fold \Fold\, v. i.
     To confine sheep in a fold. [R.]
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           The star that bids the shepherd fold.    --Milton.
     [1913 Webster] foldable

From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:

  fold
      n 1: an angular or rounded shape made by folding; "a fold in the
           napkin"; "a crease in his trousers"; "a plication on her
           blouse"; "a flexure of the colon"; "a bend of his elbow"
           [syn: fold, crease, plication, flexure, crimp,
           bend]
      2: a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually
         attend a given church [syn: congregation, fold,
         faithful]
      3: a geological process that causes a bend in a stratum of rock
         [syn: fold, folding]
      4: a group of sheep or goats [syn: flock, fold]
      5: a folded part (as in skin or muscle) [syn: fold, plica]
      6: a pen for sheep [syn: fold, sheepfold, sheep pen,
         sheepcote]
      7: the act of folding; "he gave the napkins a double fold" [syn:
         fold, folding]
      v 1: bend or lay so that one part covers the other; "fold up the
           newspaper"; "turn up your collar" [syn: fold, fold up,
           turn up] [ant: open, spread, spread out, unfold]
      2: incorporate a food ingredient into a mixture by repeatedly
         turning it over without stirring or beating; "Fold the egg
         whites into the batter"
      3: cease to operate or cause to cease operating; "The owners
         decided to move and to close the factory"; "My business
         closes every night at 8 P.M."; "close up the shop" [syn:
         close up, close, fold, shut down, close down] [ant:
         open, open up]
      4: confine in a fold, like sheep [syn: pen up, fold]
      5: become folded or folded up; "The bed folds in a jiffy" [syn:
         fold, fold up]


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