Middle English Dictionary Entry
fōld n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | fōld n.(1) Also fald, feld, vold. |
| Etymology | OE fald, falod. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A pen, enclosure, or shelter for domesticated animals; esp., a sheepfold; (b) the sheep in a fold, a flock of sheep; (c) fold soul, ~ stake, a fold stake; ~ watle, wattle (i.e. stakes and rods) for constructing a sheepfold, or a wattle fence.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(OE) Wor.Aelfric Gloss.(Wor F.174)551/38 : Stabulum: fold.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)37 : Sume men..goð eche dai to chirche alse shep to uolde.
- a1300 Bestiary (Arun 292)483 : Elpes..to gaddre gon o wolde, so sep ðat cumen ut of folde.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 10.1 : He that cometh not in by the dore in to the fold [WB(2): foold] of the scheep.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.17 : Þe schepe beeþ þe more sikerliche..ilefte in þe felde [vr. folde].
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.6527 : As an hound that goth to folde And hath ther taken what he wolde, His mouth upon the gras he wypeth.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)279a/b : Þat hounde is an yuel hound..þat kepeþ and wardeþ schepe..by day in pasture and strangleþ and byteþ hem by night in þe folde.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3671 : Iacob went vn to þe fald [Trin-C: folde] And broght þe bestes.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)46b/b : Ouile: a shypcot or a folde.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)12b/b : Caula: a stabele, or a fold or a schep cot.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)168 : The scheperd vndyr þe folde syngythe well wythe his gwgawe, þe pype.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)10207 : He fore with his fos..As a wolfe..with wethurs in fold.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)44a : A falde: caula, ouile.
- a1500(?c1440) Lydg.HGS (Lnsd 699)439 : This Sheep rukyng in his fold.
- a1500 Merch.& S.(Cmb Ff.2.38)4 : Hors and nete he had grete plente, and many a shyp in folde.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)54 : Yeff þe wheder be dry and your fold wele strewed withe strawe.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)3339 : An enngell comm..Till hirdess þær þær þeȝȝ þatt nihht Biwokenn þeȝȝre faldess.
- c1460 Awake lordes (Dub 432)341 : Oon scabbed shepe may enfecte al a folde.
c
- (1339) in Mun.Magd.Oxf.[OD col.]145 : Vald wattle.
- (1361-3) Doc.Manor in MP 3451 : In ferro pro j ffaldsaul empto xij d'.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)814 : Hic palus, hic paxillus: a foldstake.
2.
(a) Fig. A religious community, a church, a parish, the Church in general; heaven as the church's home; (b) ?confinement, prison [quot. may perhaps refer to 'bonds, fetters'; cp. fold (2)].
Associated quotations
a
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)2252 : A ffold ffol of ffale sheep.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)78.14 : We, þy folk and shepe of þy fold.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))John 10.16 : I haue othere scheep that ben not of this folde.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.512 : He..dwelte at hoom and kepte wel his folde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)prol.439 : Thei ben nothing in thilke cas Of Simon, which the foldes gate Hath lete and goth in othergate.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)23876 : He haþ vs in his noumbre tolde As for shepe of his folde [Vsp: fald].
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.259 : For meny waker wolues ben broke into foldes.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)4637-40 : Et fiet unum ovile et unus pastor..alle folkes to fald sal falle, And a hirde sal be to kepe þam alle..in haly kirkes falde.
- 1448 *Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58:Kooper)f.117v : [He] to his flok thorugh his mercy and pitee hath hym purueyed a forleder that Goddes flok may lede to her folde that is the hous of euerlastyng lyf.
- a1450(1410) This holy tyme make (Dgb 102)158 : To kepe his shep fro helle tike, In folde go, amonge hem blete.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)146/16 : I hafe oþer schepe, whilk er noȝt of þis falde.
- a1500(a1422) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)26 : And also to werry on the hethen and other heretikes..to make oo foulde and one herde.
- a1500(?a1450) St.Dor.(1) (Hrl 5272)45 : Sche was a schepe of Cristis owne folde.
b
- a1500(?a1400) Torrent (Chet 8009)309 : In a dongon that ys dym, Fowyre good Erylles sonnys be with hyme, Ys fet in fere and fold.