fold-down
|fold-down|
🇺🇸
/ˈfoʊld.daʊn/
🇬🇧
/ˈfəʊld.daʊn/
(fold down)
bend or lay flat downward
Etymology
'fold-down' is a compound formed from the verb 'fold' + the adverb 'down', created by combining modern English elements to describe an object or action that is folded toward a lower position.
'fold' originates from Old English 'fealdan' (to fold) from Proto-Germanic '*faldaną'; 'down' comes from Old English 'dūn'/'down' meaning downward. The combination 'fold down' developed in Modern English as a descriptive phrasal verb and then as a compound adjective/noun (fold-down).
Initially 'fold' and 'down' were separate words with general senses of bending and direction; over time the phrase 'fold down' became a fixed phrasal verb meaning to bend or lay something downward and also formed compound nouns/adjectives ('fold-down') describing objects with that capability.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a part (such as a seat, tray, or table) designed to be folded downward into a flat or stowed position.
The plane had a fold-down tray for meals.
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Verb 1
to fold something downward so that it lies flat or is stowed; (transitive) to cause to fold down.
Could you fold-down the rear seat to make more room?
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Adjective 1
designed to be folded down; capable of being folded downward (used before a noun).
They installed a fold-down table in the camper.
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Last updated: 2025/12/17 03:07