fold

verb

/fəʊld/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they fold	/fəʊld/ /fəʊld/
he / she / it folds	/fəʊldz/ /fəʊldz/
past simple folded	/ˈfəʊldɪd/ /ˈfəʊldɪd/
past participle folded	/ˈfəʊldɪd/ /ˈfəʊldɪd/
-ing form folding	/ˈfəʊldɪŋ/ /ˈfəʊldɪŋ/

Idioms Phrasal Verbs

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[transitive] to bend something, especially paper or cloth, so that one part lies on top of another part
- fold something First, fold the paper in half/in two.
- The bird folded its wings.
- a pile of neatly folded clothes
- fold something up He folded the map up and put it in his pocket.
- fold something down The blankets had been folded down.
- fold something back Don't fold back pages to mark your place in a book.
- fold something over Fold the dough over on top of itself.
opposite unfold see also fold-up
Extra Examples
- He carefully folded the typed sheets and replaced them in the envelope.
- I folded up the clothes and put them away.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- carefully
- neatly
- gently
- …
preposition
- into
See full entry
[transitive, intransitive] to bend something so that it becomes smaller or flatter and can be stored or carried more easily; to bend or be able to bend in this way
- fold something away The bed can be folded away during the day.
- fold something down The central back seat can be folded down to provide a useful tray.
- fold something up She folds up the wheelchair and stows it in the trunk.
- fold up The table folds up when not in use.
- fold away The table folds away when not in use.
- fold down a TV screen that folds down from the ceiling
- fold out The settee folds out into a comfortable bed.
- + adj. The ironing board folds flat for easy storage.
- (figurative) When she heard the news, her legs just folded under her (= she fell).
[transitive] to wrap something around somebody/something
- fold A in B She gently folded the baby in a blanket.
- fold B around/round/over A She folded a blanket around the baby.
[intransitive] (of a company, a play, etc.) to close because it is not successful
- The new musical folded after only twenty performances.
Extra Examples
- Her fan club has folded.
- His business folded and his wife left him.
Topics Businessc2

Word Originverb Old English falden, fealden, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vouwen and German falten.

Idioms

fold your arms

to put one of your arms over the other one and hold them against your body
- He stood watching her with his arms folded across his chest.
- She folded her arms and stared at him.

fold your hands

to bring or hold your hands together
- She kept her hands folded in her lap.

fold somebody in your arms

(literary) to put your arms around somebody and hold them against your body

fold

noun

/fəʊld/

Idioms

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[countable, usually plural] a part of something, especially cloth, that is folded or hangs as if it had been folded
- the folds of her dress
- loose folds of skin
Extra Examples
- She hid the note in a fold in her robe.
- The fabric fell in soft folds.
- the heavy folds of his cloak
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- loose
- soft
- deep
- …
verb + fold
- be hidden behind
- be hidden by
- be hidden in
- …
preposition
- in a/the fold
- fold in
phrases
- folds of flesh
- folds of skin
See full entry
[countable] a mark or line made by folding something, or showing where something should be folded
- Why is the place I want to find always on the fold of the map?
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- loose
- soft
- deep
- …
verb + fold
- be hidden behind
- be hidden by
- be hidden in
- …
preposition
- in a/the fold
- fold in
phrases
- folds of flesh
- folds of skin
See full entry
[countable] an area in a field surrounded by a fence or wall where animals, especially sheep, are kept for safetyTopics Farmingc2
the fold
[singular] a group of people who share the same ideas or beliefs
- He called on former Republican voters to return to the fold.
- She was determined to draw Matthew back into the family fold.
Extra Examples
- The country is now firmly back in the international fold.
- The indigenous people were brought into the Catholic fold.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- international
verb + the fold
- join
- leave
- come back into
- …
preposition
- within a/the fold
See full entry
[countable] (geology) a curve or bend in the line of the layers of rock in the earth’s crust
[countable] (British English) a hollow place among hills or mountains
- It was a solitary spot in a fold between two hills.
Extra Examples
- a fold in the land
- The troops were hidden by the deep folds of the ground.

Word Originnoun senses 1 to 2 and noun senses 5 to 6 Old English falden, fealden, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vouwen and German falten. noun senses 3 to 4 Old English fald, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vaalt.

Idioms

above/below the fold

in/not in a position where you see it first, for example in the top/bottom part of a newspaper page or web page
- Your ad will be placed above the fold for prominent exposure.
- The images all appeared below the fold.
compare above-the-fold, below-the-fold