twofold definition

English twofold definition

English numbers ^(edit)

	20
←  1	2	3  →
Cardinal: two     Ordinal: second     Latinate ordinal: secondary     Adverbial: two times, twice     Multiplier: twofold     Latinate multiplier: double     Distributive: doubly     Collective: both, pair, twosome     Multiuse collective: doublet, couple, couplet     Greek or Latinate collective: dyad     Metric collective prefix: double-     Greek collective prefix: di-, duo-     Latinate collective prefix: bi-     Fractional: half     Metric fractional prefix: demi-     Latinate fractional prefix: semi-     Elemental: twin, doublet     Greek prefix: deutero-     Number of musicians: duo, duet, duplet     Number of years: biennium

Alternative forms

• two-fold

Etymology

PIE word
*dwóh₁

From Middle English twofold, from Old English twēofeald. Equivalent to two +‎ -fold; cognate to Icelandic tvöfalt and Dutch tweevoudig.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

twofold (not comparable)

1. Double; duplicate; multiplied by two.

   The wheat produced a twofold harvest.

2. Having two parts, especially two different parts.

   a twofold nature; a twofold sense; a twofold argument

   • 1874, Ernest Myers (transl.), The Extant Odes of Pindar, translated into English, Pythian Ode III, page 65.

     Had I but landed there and brought unto him a twofold joy, first golden health and next this my song of triumph to be a splendour in his Pythian crown […]

   • 1879, F. D. Morice, Pindar, chapter 7, page 107:

     It is the tale of Ixion's twofold guilt, unnatural murder and unlawful love.

   • 2014, Robert K. Bolger, Scott Korb, Gesturing Toward Reality: David Foster Wallace and Philosophy‎^[1]:

     "Wallace's suggestion for overcoming the epistemological and solipsistic effects of innate selfishness is twofold."

Synonyms

• (double): double, duplicate; see also Thesaurus:twofold
• (having two parts): twin; see also Thesaurus:dual

Derived terms

• twofoldness

Translations

Adverb

twofold (not comparable)

1. In a double degree; doubly.

Synonyms

• double; see also Thesaurus:twice

Translations

References

• “twofold”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “twofold”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Middle English twofold definition

Middle English numbers ^(edit)

←  1	2	3  →
Cardinal: two, twei     Ordinal: secunde     Adverbial: twie, twies     Multiplier: twofold

Alternative forms

• to fold, to folde, two-fold, two fold, twofolde, two-folde, twovold
• (early) twafald, twavalt

Etymology

A remodelling of twifold after two +‎ -fold.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtwɔːfɔːld/, /ˈtwoːfɔːld/

Adjective

twofold

1. double, twofold (having two parts)
2. double, twofold (two times)
3. (rare) uncertain, wavering

Descendants

• English: twofold

Adverb

twofold

1. In a twofold way; twice.

Descendants

• English: twofold

References

• “twōfōld, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.