fold

verb
UK: /fəʊld/
US: /foʊld/

  1. To bend something, so that one part of it lies on top of another part.

    1. Fold the paper in half before putting it in the envelope. [ ] [ ]
    2. She carefully folded her dress and placed it in the suitcase, wrinkle-free. [ ] [ ]

  2. To bring together; to wrap or envelop.

    1. She folded her arms across her chest, shivering. [ ] [ ]
    2. The mother folded the child in a warm embrace, offering comfort after the fall. [ ] [ ]

  3. To collapse or fail.

    1. The business started well, but eventually folded. [ ] [ ]
    2. Negotiations with the company folded after they refused to meet our demands. [ ] [ ]

  4. To incorporate an ingredient gently into a mixture.

    1. Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mousse mixture. [ ] [ ]
    2. Gently fold the flour into the egg whites to maintain the light and airy texture. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

double bend crease collapse fail wrap embrace flounder
fold noun

  1. A bend in something; a crease.

    1. There's a fold in the fabric. [ ] [ ]
    2. The map had several folds from being stored for a long time in the glove compartment. [ ] [ ]

  2. A group of people with shared beliefs or aims; an enclosure for sheep.

    1. He was welcomed back into the fold. [ ] [ ]
    2. The shepherd guided the sheep safely back to the fold before nightfall. [ ] [ ]
fold intransitive-verb

  1. To end participation or withdraw from a competition, negotiation, or business.

    1. Seeing the high stakes, he decided to fold. [ ] [ ]
    2. After facing heavy losses, the company had to fold its operations in the region. [ ] [ ]
fold transitive-verb

  1. To bend or move something so that one part covers the other.

    1. Could you fold this for me? [ ] [ ]
    2. She needed to fold all the clothes before the guest arrives at the home. [ ] [ ]
fold plural-noun

  1. A hollow or indentation in a surface.

    1. The dog was sleeping in the fold of the blanket. [ ] [ ]
    2. Water collected in the natural folds of the rock formations after the rain. [ ] [ ]
fold phrasal-verb

  1. To stop being involved in something.

    1. fold in on [ ] [ ]
    2. The company decided to fold in on itself and focus on their main products. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "fold" in English means: To bend something, so that one part of it lies on top of another part., To bring together; to wrap or envelop., To collapse or fail., To incorporate an ingredient gently into a mixture..

The phonetic transcription of "fold" is /fəʊld/ in British English and /foʊld/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "fold": double, bend, crease, collapse, fail, wrap, embrace, flounder.

Example usage of "fold": "Fold the paper in half before putting it in the envelope.". More examples on the page.