- to bend (cloth, paper, etc.) over upon itself.
- to bring into a compact form by bending and laying parts together (often followed by up): to fold up a map; to fold one's legs under oneself.
- to bring (the arms, hands, etc.) together in an intertwined or crossed manner; cross; entwine: He folded his arms on his chest.
- to bend or wind (usually followed by about, round, etc.): to fold one's arms about a person's neck.
- to bring (the wings) close to the body, as a bird on alighting.
- to enclose; wrap; envelop: to fold something in paper.
- to embrace or clasp; enfold: to fold someone in one's arms.
- to place (one's cards) facedown so as to withdraw from the play.
- to bring to an end; close up: The owner decided to fold the business and retire.
- to be folded or be capable of folding: The doors fold back.
- to place one's cards facedown so as to withdraw from the play.
- to fail in business; be forced to close: The newspaper folded after 76 years.
- to yield or give in: Dad folded and said we could go after all.
- a part that is folded; pleat; layer: folds of cloth.
- a crease made by folding: He cut the paper along the fold.
- a hollow made by folding: to carry something in the fold of one's dress.
- a hollow place in undulating ground: a fold of the mountains.
- 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).
- Journalism.
- the line formed along the horizontal center of a standard-sized newspaper when it is folded after printing.
- a rough-and-ready dividing line, especially on the front page and other principal pages, between stories of primary and lesser importance.
- a coil of a serpent, string, etc.
- the act of folding or doubling over.
- a margin or ridge formed by the folding of a membrane or other flat body part; plica.
- to mix in or add (an ingredient) by gently turning one part over another: Fold in the egg whites.
- fold up, Informal.
- to break down; collapse: He folded up when the prosecutor discredited his story.
- to fail, especially to go out of business.
- an enclosure for sheep or, occasionally, other domestic animals.
- the sheep kept within it.
- a flock of sheep.
- a church.
- the members of a church; congregation: He preached to the fold.
- a group sharing common beliefs, values, etc.: He rejoined the fold after his youthful escapade.
- to confine (sheep or other domestic animals) in a fold.
- 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.
- to bend or be bent double so that one part covers another
- to bring together and intertwine (the arms, legs, etc)
- (of birds, insects, etc) to close (the wings) together from an extended position
- to enclose in or as if in a surrounding material
- to clasp (a person) in the arms
- to wind (around); entwine
- to cover completely
- to mix (a whisked mixture) with other ingredients by gently turning one part over the other with a spoon
- to produce a bend (in stratified rock) or (of stratified rock) to display a bend
- to collapse; fail
- a piece or section that has been folded
- a mark, crease, or hollow made by folding
- a hollow in undulating terrain
- a bend in stratified rocks that results from movements within the earth's crust and produces such structures as anticlines and synclines
- anatomy another word for plica (def. 1)
- a coil, as in a rope, etc
- an act of folding
- a small enclosure or pen for sheep or other livestock, where they can be gathered
- the sheep or other livestock gathered in such an enclosure
- a flock of sheep
- a herd of Highland cattle
- a church or the members of it
- any group or community sharing a way of life or holding the same values
- to gather or confine (sheep or other livestock) in a fold
- having so many parts, being so many times as much or as many, or multiplied by so much or so many
