folded
folded — verb
- foldedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- foldeds3rd person singular
- foldeding-ing form
- foldededpast simple
1. to bring one part of paper, cloth, or another thin material over another part, u
to bring one part of paper, cloth, or another thin material over another part, usually pressing along the line where the two parts meet.
Mira folded the letter in half before putting it into the envelope.
fold + object + in half
Yumi folded the laundry while listening to a podcast about gardening.
fold + clothing/laundry collocation
The map folded neatly along the printed creases when Nikhil pressed it flat.
Layla folded the corner of the page down to mark where the recipe started.
Please fold the napkin into a triangle and put it on each plate.
- crease
emphasises the resulting line more than the act of doubling over
- double over
stresses that one half lies on top of the other
- bend
weaker — does not require one part to lie on another
- unfold
open out something that was folded
- smooth out
remove the fold by flattening
文法句型
fold + object
fold + adverb (in half / over / up)
用法筆記
Frequently followed by an adverb of direction (in half, over, up, down, back) that specifies how the fold is made.
常見錯誤
2. to wrap an object loosely by covering it with cloth, paper, or another soft mate
to wrap an object loosely by covering it with cloth, paper, or another soft material that is brought around it.
Adaeze folded the warm bread in a clean tea towel to keep it soft.
fold + object + in + wrapping material
Caio folded the small gift in tissue paper before tying a green ribbon around it.
The nurse gently folded the newborn baby into a soft cotton blanket.
Élise folded the silver coin in a square of red silk and slipped it into her pocket.
- unwrap
remove the covering material
文法句型
fold something in something
fold something into something
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 1: here the material is brought around an object to enclose it, rather than the material itself being doubled. The object wrapped is usually small and the wrapping is gentle.
常見錯誤
3. to cross one arm over the other in front of you, holding them close against your
to cross one arm over the other in front of you, holding them close against your body — often shown when someone is waiting, refusing, or feeling defensive.
Esme folded her arms and stared at the wall while the teacher repeated the question.
fold + your arms (showing disagreement)
Arjun stood at the door with his arms folded, waiting for an apology.
passive participle: with arms folded
Yuki folded her arms tightly against the cold morning wind on the train platform.
The coach folded his arms and told the players to listen carefully to the new plan.
- cross
as in 'cross your arms' — interchangeable in most everyday contexts
- unfold
open the arms again from the folded position
文法句型
fold + your arms
用法筆記
Object is almost always 'your arms' (or 'her arms', 'his arms', etc.). Often signals an emotional stance — patience running out, quiet refusal, or guarding oneself.
常見錯誤
4. to tuck a limb — such as a leg, wing, or knee — inward so that it rests against
to tuck a limb — such as a leg, wing, or knee — inward so that it rests against or beneath the rest of the body.
Jessica folded her legs under her and read by the kitchen window.
fold + leg + under (sitting posture)
The heron folded its wings against its body and waited motionless beside the pond.
fold + wings + against body (animal pose)
Christopher folded his knees up to his chest on the small wooden bench.
Anong folded her hands into her lap and waited for the doctor to speak.
- stretch out
extend the limb away from the body
- extend
more formal; opposite of tucking in
文法句型
fold + body part + under / against / into
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 3: this sense covers any body part (legs, wings, hands, knees) being tucked in, not just crossing the arms. A preposition of direction ('under', 'against', 'into') almost always follows.
常見錯誤
5. to stop operating because of failure, or in a card game such as poker, to drop o
to stop operating because of failure, or in a card game such as poker, to drop out of a round by putting your cards down rather than continuing to bet.
The small bookshop on Bridge Street folded after only two years of trading.
fold (of a business) + after / because of
Ritu folded on the third round of poker as soon as Théo raised the bet.
fold (in poker) + on round N
The travel agency finally folded when the bank refused another loan.
Brian folded early, certain that someone at the table was holding a much stronger hand.
Two more local restaurants have folded since the new shopping mall opened.
文法句型
fold (of a business)
fold (in a card game)
用法筆記
Subject is either a business / company / shop (closure sense) or a card-player (poker sense). The two readings are kept apart by context — there is almost never ambiguity about which one is meant.
常見錯誤
6. in cooking, to add one ingredient to a mixture by lifting and turning the mixtur
in cooking, to add one ingredient to a mixture by lifting and turning the mixture slowly so that air is kept inside, instead of stirring or beating it hard.
Sade folded the whipped cream into the chocolate mousse with a large metal spoon.
fold + ingredient + into + mixture
Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter until no white streaks remain.
imperative recipe instruction
Mia folded the blueberries through the muffin mixture so the fruit would not break.
Nicholas carefully folded the melted butter into the flour to keep the pastry light.
- fold in
the phrasal-verb form used in most recipes
- incorporate
more formal; less specific about the gentle motion
文法句型
fold + ingredient + in / into + mixture
用法筆記
Almost always appears with 'in' or 'into', and almost always in recipes. The point is the gentle motion — telling readers 'fold' rather than 'stir' is a signal about technique.
常見錯誤
7. in older or rural English, to keep sheep inside a small fenced area, usually at
in older or rural English, to keep sheep inside a small fenced area, usually at night for safety.
The shepherd folded the ewes near the cottage every evening before the autumn frost.
fold + sheep + place / time
On the old Welsh farm, lambs were folded at dusk to protect them from foxes.
passive: be folded + reason
Ryan folded the flock inside the stone enclosure before the storm arrived.
The old shepherd had folded sheep on the same hillside for nearly forty years.
- release
let the animals out of the fold
文法句型
fold + sheep / animals
用法筆記
Largely confined to rural, pastoral, or older literary writing. Modern farmers more often say 'pen' or 'shut in'. Mostly used with sheep or lambs as the object.
folded — noun
1. a line or curved mark left in paper, cloth, or skin where it has been pressed to
a line or curved mark left in paper, cloth, or skin where it has been pressed together so one part lies on another.
Mira ran her finger along the fold of the old letter to flatten it out.
a fold of + paper / letter
The shirt had a sharp fold across the front from being packed too long in the suitcase.
a fold + position phrase
Layla traced the soft folds of the silk curtain with the tip of her pencil.
Tiny folds had begun to appear at the corners of Esme's eyes when she laughed.
文法句型
a fold in something
用法筆記
Plural 'folds' is just as common as the singular, especially for cloth or skin where several lines appear together.
常見錯誤
2. in geology, a curved shape formed when underground rock has been pushed sideways
in geology, a curved shape formed when underground rock has been pushed sideways for a long time and bent into a wave-like form.
The hillside revealed a deep fold in the limestone where the cliff face had cracked open.
a fold in + rock type
Geologists from Tokyo studied the ancient folds in the valley to learn about past earthquakes.
The students saw how folds in the rock layers had pushed the older stone up to the surface.
A long fold runs beneath the eastern coast and shapes the line of low hills above.
- flexure
more technical geological term for the same feature
- fault
a break rather than a bend in the rock layer
文法句型
a fold in the rock
用法筆記
Specialist geological vocabulary. The fold itself is invisible at the surface but its shape often explains the curves of hills and valleys above.
3. in anatomy, a part of the skin, muscle, or other body tissue that is doubled ove
in anatomy, a part of the skin, muscle, or other body tissue that is doubled over so that two surfaces lie close together.
The doctor checked for a rash hidden inside the fold of skin behind Adaeze's ear.
a fold of skin + body location
Tiny folds in the lining of the stomach help the body break down food more easily.
folds + biological function
Caio noticed a deep fold of muscle running along the wing of the small bat.
The membrane forms a thin fold that separates the two halves of the heart.
- plica
technical anatomical term, mostly seen in medical writing
文法句型
a fold of skin / muscle / membrane
用法筆記
Common in medical and biology writing. Pair with a body part ('a fold of skin', 'a fold in the stomach lining') to be specific.
4. a small piece of land surrounded by a fence or low wall where sheep are kept, es
a small piece of land surrounded by a fence or low wall where sheep are kept, especially at night for protection.
At sunset the shepherd led the sheep back into the stone fold beside the cottage.
into the fold (movement)
The old fold on the hillside had not held sheep for nearly fifty years.
Yumi rebuilt the wooden fold so that the lambs would be safe from the wind.
A low wall around the fold kept the sheep from wandering into the road.
- pasture
open grazing land, the opposite of a small enclosed fold
文法句型
the fold
into the fold
用法筆記
A traditional pastoral word; modern English usually says 'pen' or 'enclosure'. Most often paired with sheep or lambs.
5. a group of people, often a religious community or organization, that you belong
a group of people, often a religious community or organization, that you belong to and feel at home in, especially one you can come back to after being away.
Élise returned to the fold of her old reading club after three years living in Lisbon.
return to the fold + group
The small church welcomed Nikhil back into the fold without asking any questions.
welcome + back into the fold
Many former players hope to be brought back into the fold of the national team.
After years of silence, Brian quietly rejoined the fold of his university friends.
- outsider group
those outside the fold
文法句型
return to the fold
welcome someone back into the fold
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'the fold', and usually with verbs of returning ('come back to', 'return to', 'welcome into'). Strongly associated with belonging and acceptance.
常見錯誤
6. a group of sheep or goats kept together, especially under the care of one shephe
a group of sheep or goats kept together, especially under the care of one shepherd or farmer.
A fold of twenty sheep grazed on the high pasture above the lake.
a fold of + number + sheep/goats
Anong sold half her fold of goats to pay for the new barn roof.
The old farmer counted his fold every morning before opening the gate.
A small fold of black-faced sheep wandered slowly across the narrow mountain road.
文法句型
a fold of sheep / goats
用法筆記
A traditional pastoral usage; in modern English 'flock' or 'herd' is far more common. Best kept for rural or literary contexts.