# folding

/ˈfoʊɫdɪŋ/ (US) · /fˈəʊldɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/folding
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. collapsible

adjective · CEFR B1

designed to be folded so that it takes up less space.

For teachers: describing an object engineered with hinges or joints to be collapsed into a more compact form.

- We took a folding chair to the park so we could sit comfortably during the concert.
- The apartment was so small that he had to rely on a folding desk that could be tucked away when not in use.

### 2. the act of bending

noun · CEFR B2

the action of bending something over on itself.

For teachers: the process or act of doubling something over or creating a crease.

- The folding of the laundry took much longer than the washing.
- Precise folding of the map is required if you want it to fit back into its protective plastic sleeve.

### 3. paper money

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

a casual way to talk about paper money instead of coins.

For teachers: a slang term for banknotes, referring to the fact that they can be folded, unlike metallic currency.

- He didn't have any coins for the machine, only some folding in his wallet.
- The vendor preferred a bit of the folding to credit cards, offering a small discount for cash payments.

### 4. geological deformation

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the way the earth's surface bends and moves over a long time.

For teachers: the permanent deformation of rock layers into curves or bends due to tectonic pressure.

- The mountain range was formed by the folding of the earth's crust millions of years ago.
- Geologists studied the intense folding in the cliff face to determine the direction of the ancient tectonic forces.

### 5. hiding source code

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

hiding parts of a computer program's code to make it easier to read.

For teachers: a feature in text editors that allows the user to hide or collapse sections of source code.

- I use code folding to hide the long functions I am not working on.
- By utilizing code folding, the developer managed to navigate the massive script without being overwhelmed by thousands of lines of boilerplate.

## Examples

- The careful folding of the map makes it easy to carry.
- Geologists study the folding of the earth's crust to understand how mountain ranges were formed millions of years ago.
- The editor's code folding feature allows developers to collapse long functions, making it significantly easier to navigate through complex scripts without losing their place.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.