▪ I. † enˈfold, n. Obs.
[f. next.]
A convolution (of the brain or intestines).
| 1578 Banister Hist. Man. v. 72 The intrels..are circunduced into diuers, and many enfoldes,and turnynges. Ibid. viii. 100 The brayne..seemeth to shew many infoldes and turnynges. |
▪ II. enfold, infold, v.1
(ɛn-, ɪnˈfəʊld)
Also 7 infould. pa. pple. occas. 7 infold, 9 enfolden.
[f. en-1, in- + fold n. and v.]
To put into a fold, or within folds.
1. trans. To wrap up, envelope in or with a garment, or a surrounding medium of any kind. Also with the garment, etc. as subject.
| α 1776 Withering Bot. Arrangem. (1796) I. 192 Seed single..enfolded in the cup. 1860 Trench Mirac. xvi. (1862) 272 The oak is enfolded in the acorn. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. 34 The royal robes in which the body had been enfolded were borne away. |
| β c 1425 Found. St. Bartholomew's (E.E.T.S.) 8 Many to ynfoldeyn and many with hym to adde. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. vii. 69 Guilded timber [mod. edd. tombes] doe wormes infold. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 175 Even as..the white of the Egge comprehendeth the yolke, so that first intelligible world infoldeth the second. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 111 The Silke-wormes..infold themselves in a piece of silk thei weave of an ovall forme and yellow color. 1647 H. More Song of Soul iv. xxxvi, She in the body was infold, Of this low life. 1668 Culpepper & Cole Barthol. Anat. i. xx. 52 Two Membranes..infolding the whole bladder. 1713 Pope Windsor For. 393 The pearly shell [shall] its lucid globe infold. 1725 ― Odyss. iii. 540 Artist divine, whose skilful hands infold The victim's horn with circumfusile gold. 1728 Young Love Fame v. (1757) 137 Gay rainbow silks her mellow charms infold. 1875 B. Taylor Faust ii. ii. II. 101 Cast o'er The knight your magic mantle and infold him. |
b. fig.
| α 1674 Fairfax Bulk & Selv. Ep. Ded., The kindness..is wont to be enfolded mainly within the rank or stock..of the same. a 1711 Ken Hymnotheo Poet. Wks. 1721 III. 319 All Plants..A confluential Loveliness enfold. a 1822 Shelley Witch Atl. ii, She lay enfolden In the warm shadow of her loveliness. 1850 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xxiv. 233 His love enfolded her childish heart with more than mortal tenderness. |
| β 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. iii. 73 Vnlesse the breath of Hartsicke groanes Mist-like infold me from the search of eyes. 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. (1851) Pref. 95 That book within whose sacred context all wisdome is infolded. 1867 G. Macdonald Poems 58 Night infolds the day. |
2. To encompass, encircle; to clasp, embrace. Also fig.
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. (T.), For all the crest a dragon did infold With greedy paws. 1618 Chapman Hesiod ii. 236 She never knew how to enfold The force of Venus swimming all in gold. 1633 P. Fletcher Elisa ii. v. Poet. Misc. 119 Her snow-white arms..their now dead lord infold. 1725 Pope Odyss. xix. 555 His neck with fond embrace infolding fast. 1850 Mrs. Browning Poems II. 414 While the Muses hang enfolding Knee and foot with faint wild hands. 1855 Singleton Virgil I. 132 [Vines] with lusty stems Their elms infolding. Ibid. I. 277 Each snake, inclipping them, infolds. 1876 Bancroft Hist. U.S. III. xx. 302 Its people, infolding at one extreme the offspring of colonists from Greece, and at the other the hardy children of the Northmen. |
† 3. = involve. a. To imply or necessarily include. b. To involve or plunge in (disaster). Also refl. c. To involve in obligation, to oblige.
| 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 250/1 God should infolde vs in one selfe same destruction. 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. (1589) 145 We infold our selves in that fault, which we reproove in others. Ibid. 430 All covetous men..infold themselves in many griefs. 1625 Gill Sacr. Philos. i. 24 That any thing be, infolds necessarily the will and power of God thereto. 1646 N. Lockyer Sermon 11 There be many difficulties about the creature, but may be all infolded in one, to wit, sinne. |
4. To put into the shape of a fold or succession of folds; formerly often fig. to render involved or intricate. Also refl. and intr. for refl.
| 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. vii. §4 Fitter for a Declamation than agreeable to a Treatise infolded as this is. 1611 Bible Ezek. i. 4 A great cloude, and a fire infoulding itselfe. 1612 Drayton's Poly-olb. Introd. A ij, The verse oft..so infolds that suddaine conceipt cannot abstract a forme of the clothed truth. 1875 Darwin Insectiv. Pl. xiv. 324 As the rim is infolded. 1882 Vines Sachs' Bot. 950 The cambium layer..becomes deeply infolded where it extends inwards. |
Hence enˈfolded ppl. a., enˈfoldedly adv.
| 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 111 That the infolded wormes may die. c 1633 Milton Arcades 64 The celestial Sirens..That sit upon the nine infolded spheres. 1879 Farrar St. Paul I. 92 A semblance as of infolded flame. 1624 F. White Repl. Fisher 280 [It] is neither expresly nor infoldedly taught in holy Scripture. |
▪ III. enfold, v.2 rare.
(ɛnˈfəʊld)
Also 7 infold.
[f. en- prefix1 + fold n.1]
To shut up (sheep, etc.) in a fold.
| c 1611 Chapman Iliad viii. K vj, Then Troians in their wals Had beene infolded like meeke Lambs, had Ioue winkt at their fals. 1683 Chalkhill Thealma & Cl. 94 She left the Lovers to enfold her Sheep. 1882 J. Parker Apost. Life I. 13 Until the last little lamb had been safely enfolded. |