befold en · VERB
Etymology
From Middle English bifealden, bevealden, from Old English befealdan (“to fold, roll up, envelop, clasp, surround, involve, cover, attach”), equivalent to be- (“around, about”) + fold. Cognate with Old High German bifaltan (“to envelop”).
Meanings
-
(transitive) To fold up; fold around; wrap up; envelop.
And when I rant and rave and raise hell about the power structure and about slaverytood, and nigratood, and nigraism, and everything else that befolds me being a black woman every day, I still love people.
1974, Harrisene Jackson, There's nothing I own that I want:Abo sits befolded up Shadeside of a namma hole [...]
2008, George D. Shorten, The Low Bed of a Faller:So, brothers and sisters that is God's law and God's punishment that befolds a person who during their life does not acknowledge or feels the greatness of God and God's reality.
2002, Simon Monbaron, How to Develop Peace in the World:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| befeld | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | obsolete | lexicographic |
| befeld | Tense=Past | obsolete | lexicographic |
| befolded | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| befolded | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| befolding | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| befolden | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | obsolete | lexicographic |
| befolds | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic |