onefold

onefold

English

Etymology

From Middle English onfold, anfald (“single, simple, honest, onefold”), from Old English ānfeald (“single, simple”, literally “onefold”), from Proto-West Germanic *ainfald, from Proto-Germanic *ainafalþaz (“onefold, simple”), equivalent to one +‎ -fold. Cognate with Dutch eenvoud (“simplicity, easiness”), German Einfalt (“simplicity”) and einfach (“simple”), Icelandic einfaldur (“simple”), Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐌽𐍆𐌰𐌻𐌸𐍃 (ainfalþs, “simple”). More at one, -fold.

Adjective

onefold (not comparable)

1. Constituting or being indicative of a single aspect or theme.
2. Consisting of a single undivided part; whole; complete.
   • 2005, Boeve, Geybels, Van den Bossche, Encountering transcendence:

     There the soul is onefold, pure and chaste, and empty of all things.

3. Simple, plain, straightforward.
   • 1875, Mrs. Oliphant, Whiteladies:

     [Her] object was simple enough; but it was too simple—too onefold (if I may borrow an expressive word from my native tongue: ae-fauld we write it in Scotch) for the apprehension of ordinary persons[.]

4. Singular, as opposite to plural.
   • 1844, Robert Rollock, Select works of Robert Rollock:

     Ye see how ready men are to misconstrue and pervert the onefold meaning of the Lord.

Antonyms

• twofold
• manifold
• morefold
• multifold

Derived terms

• onefoldness

Further reading

• “onefold”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.