HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
v. fold·ed, fold·ing, folds v.tr. 1. To bend over or double up so that one part lies on another part: fold a sheet of paper. 2. To make compact by doubling or bending over parts: folded the laundry; folded the chairs for stacking. 3. To bring from an extended to a closed position: The hawk folded its wings. 4. To bring from a compact to an extended position; unfold: folded the ironing board down from the wall; folded out the map to see where we were. 5. To place together and intertwine: fold one's arms. 6. To envelop or clasp; enfold: folded his children to his breast; folded the check into the letter. 7. To blend (a light ingredient) into a heavier mixture with a series of gentle turns: folded the beaten egg whites into the batter. 8. a. Informal To discontinue operating; close: They had to fold the company a year after they started it. b. Games To withdraw (one's hand) in defeat, as by laying cards face down on a table. 9. Geology To form bends in (a stratum of rock). v.intr. 1. a. To become folded. b. To be capable of being folded: a bed that folds for easy storage. 2. Informal To close, especially for lack of financial success; fail. 3. Games To withdraw from a game in defeat. 4. Informal a. To give in; buckle: a team that never folded under pressure. b. To weaken or collapse from exertion. n. 1. The act or an instance of folding. 2. A part that has been folded over or against another: the loose folds of the drapery; clothes stacked in neat folds. 3. A line or mark made by folding; a crease: tore the paper carefully along the fold; a headline that appeared above the fold. 4. A coil or bend, as of rope. 5. Chiefly British A hill or dale in undulating country. 6. Geology A bend in a stratum of rock. 7. Anatomy A crease or ridge apparently formed by folding, as of a membrane; a plica. [Middle English folden, from Old English fealdan, faldan; see pel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] folda·ble adj.  (click for a larger image) fold1top: isocline fold center: overturned fold bottom: recumbent fold |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
-fold
Share:
Tweet suff. 1. a. Multiplied by a specified number: a twofold increase in sales. b. Divided by a specified number: a fivefold reduction in air pollution. 2. Having a specified number of parts: a threefold plan for fighting poverty. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
