fold
.
Searchable Lemmata: folde (ME), fald (OScots), fold (MdE), fealdan (OE), folden (ME), fald (OScots), fold (MdE).
Alternate Forms: falde, felde, volde, uolde.
Definitions and Defining Citations:
1a(n.)
Other;
fold in a garment or cloth, a bend, a ply, a pleat, an area where two parts of the cloth or garment have been brought together.(ante 1420 still in current use)
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1b(n.)
Accessory;
wrinkle (in the lining of a purse); a crack or crevise, etc.(circa 1275 still in current use)
Sex: N/A Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2(vb.)
Other;
to create a fold; to arrange a piece of cloth so that one part lies alongside another part; to bend, to double. Also cf. in fold, in rich fold.(ante 900 still in current use)
Sex: N/A Use: n/a Status: n/a Rank: n/a Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Etymological Evidence:
Definite, Nominal forms from the verbal (and cf. Middle Dutch voude, OHG falt, Old Norse fald-r, falda); verbal forms from OE fealdan, etc.
The OED adds: 'In OE. and early ME. the forms are those of a strong vb.; from 15th c. onwards weak forms were developed, and the vb. is now conjugated entirely as weak' [OED, 2nd ed (1989)., 'fold, v.1'].
WF:
Etym Cog: fealdan (OE), faldan (OHG), faltan (OHG); falt (OHG), fald-r (ONorse), falda (ONorse).
References:
