twofold, a., (n.), adv.
(ˈtuːfəʊld)
Forms: α. 2, 5– Sc., twafald, 5 Sc. twa faulde, 9 Sc. twafauld, (twa-fall). β. 3 twouold; 4 two-folde, 6 two folde, twofoulde, 7 twofolde; 5–6 two fold, 7–9 two-fold, 7– twofold.
[app. orig. a refashioning of twifold, after two; in later use perh. independently f. two + -fold.]
A. adj.
† 1. Double (in fig. sense); double-minded, wavering. Obs.
| c 1175 Lamb Hom. 151 Anfald oðer twafald is ech mon... Þe twafalde Mon is unstaþelfest on alle his weies. |
2. a. Consisting of two folds or layers.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 50 Þe cloð in ham beo twouold. |
b. Folded or bent double. (
Cf. B. 1.)
Sc.| 1821 Blackw. Mag. Jan. 402/1 My auld auntie, wha's twafauld with the rheumatics. |
3. Consisting of two combined; composed of two parts or elements; existing in two relations or manners; of two kinds; double, dual.
a. in abstract or general sense.
| 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 17, I finde a twofoulde difference betwixt a sphere, and a circle. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 102 A twofold victorie. 1691 Norris Pract. Disc. 321 The object of the Divine Will..is Twofold, either the object of his Will Decreeing, or..of his Will Commanding. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) I. 399 The earth..seen with its twofold motion; producing, by the one, the change of seasons; and, by the other, the..vicissitudes of day and night. 1875 Helps Ess., Self-Discipl. 19 Man, a creature of twofold nature, body and soul. |
b. in concrete sense, of material objects.
| 1605 Shakes. Macb. iv. i. 121 Some..That two-fold Balles, and trebble Scepters carry. a 1721 Prior 2nd Hymn of Callimachus 64 Ewes, that erst brought forth but single Lambs, Now drop'd their Two-fold Burdens. 1794 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) I. 379 Two three-fold blocks, and two two-fold blocks. 1888 Lady 25 Oct. 374/3 The two-fold [photograph] screens with..space for panel portraits. |
4. Double in amount; twice as great.
| 1812 Crabbe Tales xii. 176 More charming grew the Fair, And seem'd to watch him with a two-fold care. 1873 B. Stewart Conserv. Force iii. 49 The double system will now attract the single system with twofold force. |
5. Of yarn: Consisting of two strands twisted into one.
| 1880 Daily News 7 Dec. 2/8 Two-fold yarns are rather more in request. 1883 Ibid. 22 Oct. 7/1 Two-fold yarns..command improved rates more readily than single wefts. 1894 Ibid. 20 Mar. 7/3 The trade in twofold yarns shows some improvement. |
b. as
n. Also
attrib.| 1884 W. S. B. M{supc}Laren Spinning (ed. 2) 239 Twisting two or more threads together that have already been each made into two-fold. 1888 Daily News 25 Sept. 2/5 Transactions in twofolds and singles are still somewhat restricted. 1895 Ibid. 3 Feb. 2/5 Twofold spinners are getting more work. 1910 Encycl. Brit. VII. 277/1 (Cotton), 40s mule, water twists and twofolds. |
B. adv. 1. In two folds; so as to be folded or doubled. Chiefly
Sc. of persons.
| c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 516 Þe glose is so greit in gladding tales, þat turneþ vp two-folde vnteyned opon trewþe. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxxii. 5595 A stane..has hym ourtane, And twa faulde [v.r. twafald] downe can him bere. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §62 Bynde a clothe two or thre folde vpon his foreheed. 1721 Ramsay Ode to Ph― ix, Before auld age..lay ye twafald o'er a rung. a 1802 Johnie of Breadislee xviii. in Scott Min., He's laid him twa-fald ower his steed. 1894 ‘Ian Maclaren’ Bonnie Brier Bush, Highl. Mystic i, He wes bent twa fad; a' doot it's a titch o' rheumatism, or maybe lumbago. |
2. To twice the amount, twice as much, doubly.
| 1526 Tindale Matt. xxiii. 15 Ye make hym two folde more the chylde off hell then ye youre selves are. 1637 Gillespie Eng. Pop Cerem. ii. i. 6 It twofolde more scandalizeth such a one. |
Hence
ˈtwofoldly (also 2
twafaldeliche)
adv., in a twofold manner, doubly;
ˈtwofoldness, the quality of being twofold, doubleness, duality. So
twoˈfolded ppl. a. [
f. two n. +
folded], folded in two, folded double.
| 1887 Morris Odyss. xii. 361 Wrapping it round *two⁓folded. |
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 5 Nu ic eou habbe þet godspel iseid anfaldeliche, nu scule ȝe understonden *twafaldeliche þet hit bi-tacnet. 1648 Hexham ii, Tweevoudighlick, Two⁓foldly or Double. |
| 1827 Coleridge in Lit. Rem. (1839) IV. 310 The *twofoldness of the Christian Church. 1861 W. Barnes in Macm. Mag. June 128 That we should have two legs, or two hands,..this twofoldness of life-forms. |