Word Confusion: Foaled versus Fold

Posted April 27, 2021 by Kathy Davie in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

Revised as of
19 Nov 2022

I gotta tell ya, you’ll never ever foaled napkins.

Foaled is very limited. It’s strictly a verb, and refers to a horse being born. A horse that is referred to as a foal, is a newborn under one year of age.

I reckon a foal can fold up, just as most anything can be bent. But in general, a fold — a noun, a suffix, or a verb — can be bent, turned over, creased, doubled over, draped, wrapped, etc.

Word Confusions . . .

. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.

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Foaled	Fold
Mare with Foal in the Meadow by Long Pyles is under the CC0 license, via Pixy.org. — This mare foaled a cute one.	Origami Stars is under the CC0 license, via PxHere. — Origami, the art of folding paper.
Part of Grammar:
Past tense or past participle of foal Noun; Verb Plural for the noun: foals Gerund: foaling Third person present verb: foals Past tense or past participle: foaled Present participle: foaling	Noun ¹, ²; Suffix ³; Verb ¹, intransitive & transitive, ² Plural for the noun: folds Gerund: folding Third person present verb: folds Past tense or past participle: folded Present participle: folding
Noun: A young horse, mule, or related animal, especially one that is not yet one year of age Verb: [Of a mare] Give birth to a foal [be foaled; of a foal] Be born Give birth to a colt or filly	Noun: A form or shape produced by the gentle draping of a loose, full garment or piece of cloth ¹ An area of skin that sags or hangs loosely [Mainly British] An undulation or gentle curve of the ground A slight hill or hollow [Geology] A bend or curvature of strata A line or crease produced in paper or cloth as the result of bending it A piece of paper or cloth that has been bent Pleat Layer A hollow made by folding [the fold] A group or community, especially when perceived as the locus of a particular set of aims and values [Journalism] The line formed along the horizontal center of a standard-sized newspaper when it is folded after printing A rough-and-ready dividing line, especially on the front page and other principal pages, between stories of primary and lesser importance A coil of a serpent, string, etc. The act of folding or doubling over [Anatomy] A margin or ridge formed by the folding of a membrane or other flat body part Plica A pen or enclosure in a field where livestock, especially sheep, can be kept ² Suffix: -fold ³ In an amount multiplied by Consisting of so many parts or facets Verb, intransitive: [Of a piece of furniture or equipment] Be able to be bent or rearranged into a flatter or more compact shape, typically in order to make it easier to store or carry ¹ [fold out] Be able to be opened out Unfold [Informal; of an enterprise or organization] Cease operating as a result of financial problems or a lack of support To bring to an end Close up [Especially of a sports player or team] Suddenly stop performing well or effectively [Of a poker player] Drop out of a hand [Informal] To fail in business Be forced to close [Informal] To yield or give in Verb, transitive: Bend (something flexible and relatively flat) over on itself so that one part of it covers another ¹ [fold something in/into] Mix an ingredient gently with (another ingredient), especially by lifting a mixture with a spoon so as to enclose it without stirring or beating Bend or rearrange (a piece of folding furniture or equipment) [Geology] Cause (rock strata) to undergo bending or curvature [With adverbial] Cover or wrap something in (a soft or flexible material) Fold, embrace, or clasp (someone) closely in one’s arms with passion or deep affection Enfold To bring (the wings) close to the body, as a bird on alighting Shut (livestock) in a fold ²
Examples:
Noun: Wait until you see the new foal! The Henderson ranch has seven foals this year. Beauty Streaming was in foal when she broke her leg. Verb: Partner was foaled in 1718. Although foaled in England, the dam of Dodsworth was a natural Barb. Jo foaled this morning.	Noun: The fabric fell in soft folds. The folds around the dog’s face were numerous. The house lay in a fold of the hills. Rock folds vary from microscopic crinkles to mountain-sized, occurring as single isolated folds or in periodic sets. He cut the paper along the fold. A fold of paper slipped out of the diary. She piled the apples in a fold of her dress. He’s performing a ritual to be accepted into the fold. They’re holding four column inches above the fold. The cobra folded itself back into its basket. We still have to fold all the towels. There’s a ridge folded around your knee, which is causing your pain. Henry unbarred the gate of the fold and with a cheerful mind drove his flock afield. Suffix: Do unto others and have it return to thee threefold. It was a twofold plan, involving both sides of the street. The sheepfold is between the hay and dairy barns. Verb, intransitive: The deck chair folds flat. The sofa folds out. The club folded earlier this year. He folded in the second round. He has an unerring knack for knowing when to fold and when to stay in. The shop was forced to fold. Dad folded and said we could go after all. Verb, transitive: She folded all her clothes and packed all her bags. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. He folded up his tripod. He folded his arms across his chest. She unfolded the tissue surrounding her gift. A plastic bag was folded around the book. Bob folded her in his arms and kissed her. The owner decided to fold the business and retire. The hawk folded its wings and dove after its prey. The dogs are folding the lambs into the cote.
Derivatives:
Adjective: unfoaled	Adjective: bifold, fold-out, foldable, foldaway, folding Noun: folder, folding
History of the Word:
Old English fola is of Germanic origin and related to the Dutch veulen and the German Fohlen.	Old English falden, fealden, is of Germanic origin and related to the Dutch vouwen and the German falten. Old English fald is of Germanic origin and related to the Dutch vaalt. Old English -fald, -feald is related to 1.

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

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