fold

Multiple Entries:
  fold    -fold  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
fold1

▶verb

• 1 bend (something) over on itself so that one part of it covers another.

  ■ (often as adj. folding) be able to be folded into a flatter shape.

  ■ Geology cause (rock strata) to undergo bending or curvature.

  ■ Biochemistry (of a polypeptide or polynucleotide chain) adopt a specific three-dimensional structure.

• 2 cover or wrap something in (a soft or flexible material).

  ■ affectionately clasp in one's arms.

• 3 (fold something in/into) mix an ingredient gently with (another ingredient).

• 4 informal (of a company) cease trading as a result of financial problems.

  ■ (of a sports player or team) suddenly stop performing well.

• 5 (in poker and other card games) drop out of a hand.

▶noun

• 1 a form produced by the gentle draping of a garment or piece of cloth.

  ■ an area of skin that sags or hangs loosely.

• 2 a line or crease produced by folding.

• 3 chiefly Brit. a slight hill or hollow.

• 4 Geology a bend or curvature of strata.

– phrases
fold one's arms bring one's arms together and cross them over one's chest.

– derivatives
foldable adjective.

– origin OE falden, fealden, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
fold2

▶noun

• 1 a pen or enclosure for livestock, especially sheep.

• 2 (the fold) a group or community with shared aims and values.

▶verb shut (livestock) in a fold.

– origin OE fald, of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-fold

▶suffix forming adjectives and adverbs from cardinal numbers.

• 1 in an amount multiplied by: threefold.

• 2 consisting of so many parts or facets: twofold.

– origin OE -fald, -feald; rel. to fold1.