fold

fold1 [ fould ] verb **

1. ) transitive to bend a piece of paper or cloth and press one part of it over another part:

Carrie folded the note and slid it into her purse.

fold something in half/two: Fold the paper in half diagonally.

fold something neatly/carefully: She folded the towel neatly and hung it over the rail.

a ) to cover something by bending a piece of paper or cloth around it:

fold something in something: She picked up the insect and gently folded it in a handkerchief.

fold something around something: He folded the blanket carefully around the baby.

2. ) intransitive or transitive if something folds or you can fold it, you can bend part of it so that it becomes smaller and easier to carry or store:

Jed folded the pocketknife and put it into his front pocket.

fold (something) up/down/away: The bed folds away conveniently for storage.

fold (something) flat: The table folds flat for easy storage.

3. ) fold or fold up intransitive if a business folds, it closes because it is not able to make enough money

4. ) intransitive if your legs fold, they suddenly become weak and unable to support your weight, so that you fall to the ground:

Sue felt her legs folding under her, then she fainted.

fold your arms/hands

to cross one arm or hand over the other:

The border guard folded his arms across his chest and glared.

fold someone in your arms MAINLY LITERARY

to put your arms around someone

,fold `in or ,fold `into phrasal verb transitive fold something in/into something

1. ) to use a spoon or knife to add something slowly and gently to a mixture:

Fold the cocoa into the cake batter.

2. ) to combine things that were previously separate so they can be dealt with together:

The bill would fold three agencies into the State Department in a cost-saving plan.

,fold `up phrasal verb

1. ) transitive to make something smaller by bending it over on itself more than once:

His clothes were neatly folded up on a chair.

2. ) intransitive same as FOLD1 3:

Two months later the company folded up.

fold

fold 2 [ fould ] noun *

1. ) count a bend or line on a piece of paper or cloth that you make when you press one part of it over another:

Make a second fold 5 inches above the first.

Open the paper flat and cut along the fold.

2. ) count usually plural a curved piece of cloth that hangs in a loose way:

the soft folds of the curtain

Her elegant legs were hidden in the folds of her skirt.

a ) count an area of skin that hangs in a loose way on someone's body:

folds of fat flesh

3. ) the fold a group of people who share the same ideas or goals or who live or work together:

in the fold: He is now firmly back in the conservative fold.

return/come back to the fold: Emily longed to return to the family fold.

bring someone back to the fold: We are hoping that these policies will bring reluctant voters back to the fold.

leave/stray from the fold: Many Western Marxists left the Communist fold in the 1970s.

4. ) count a small area enclosed by a fence or wall in a field, used for keeping sheep