† ˈafald, a. Obs. or dial.
Forms: 1 ánfeald, 1–3 anfald, 4–6 afald(e, 5–6 anefald, 6 afauld, efald, 7 effa(u)ld, 8– aefauld; all north. after 2. Rare midl. form 5 oonefold.
[f. a adj.1, an, one + fold; cogn. w. OS. and OFris. énfáld, ON. einfalldr, Goth. ainfalps, mod.G. einfalt-ig. Confined after 12th c. to northern, and after 14th to Sc. writers, by whom reduced to a-fald, effauld, mod.Sc. aefauld. The oonefold of Townl. Myst. is only a transliteration of the north. anfald, the midl. and south. dialects having lost the word, which has however been used anew in modern times as one-fold. Cf. two-fold, etc.]
† 1. Single, singular, sole, only. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Gramm. xiii. 83 Numerus is ᵹetel, singularis et pluralis ánfeald oððe meniᵹfeald. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 25 Erðon he hefde anfalde sunne and seodðan he haueð twafald. c 1200 Ormul. 11296 Swa þatt tu shule tweȝȝenn menn Wiþþ anfald name tellenn. c 1300 Cursor Mundi 6342 Cotton MS. Persons thre, And an-fald godd in vnite. Fairfax MS. Anfalde god in trinite. Göttingen MS. A-fold godd in vnite. Trinity MS. O godhede in vnite. 1375 Barbour Bruce xx. 618 The afald god in trinite· c 1460 Townl. Myst. 132 Hayll, oonefold God in persons þre! 1513 Douglas æneis Pref. 463 Afald Godhede, ay lesting but discrepance. |
2. Simple, sincere, without duplicity; honest. (In mod. Sc. Jamieson.)
| c 960 Rushw. Gosp. Matt. vi. 22 Ȝif þin eᵹe biþ anfald. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. ibid., Ȝyf þin eaᵹe bið an-feald. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 151 Anfald oðer twafald is ech mon..Iob wes anfald rihtwis Mon, and swa god mon. c 1200 Ormul. 1537 To þeowwtenn an Allmahhtiȝ Godd Wiþþ anfald rihhte læfe. 1465 quoted in Tytler Hist. Scot. II. 388 To stand in afald kendnes, supplé, and defencs, ilk an til odir. 1513 Douglas æneis vii. Prol. 159 With ane fald diligence. Ibid. xiii. vii. 90 Traistis wele Enee afald and kynd. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scotl. (1858) I. 63 Come in that tyme with anefald mynd and hart. 1600 in Pitcairn Crim. Trials (1833) II. 284 To obey and serve, with efald and ever ready service. 1609 A. Hume (title) Ane Afold Admonitioun to the Ministerie of Scotland, by a Deing Brother. 1651 Calderwood Hist. Kirk. (1843) II. 353 We sall tak effald, plaine, and upright part with him. |